


The Lesser of Two Evils

by AKholic



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, called out in the dark, dramione - Freeform, dramione with plot, dramione-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2019-10-07 02:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 49,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17357399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKholic/pseuds/AKholic
Summary: Set six years after the Second Wizarding War, a new evil is lurking in the shadows. Hermione Granger is as determined as ever to thwart this new threat, though she never imagined getting entangled with a former classmate along the way...Written from the perspective of Hermione. For the occasional times it's not Hermione, the character’s name will be listed at the top of that chapter.I'm rewriting an old story I started under the name " Called Out in the Dark "This is a pretty chill fic, enjoy (:I do not claim anything owned by JKR, Warner Brothers, or any others.**** New chapters are Ch 27, 28, and 29!





	1. Portentous Grotto

"Ugh." I groaned, glaring down at the latest version of my report. It was the third draft I’d written and it was about to be the third draft I discarded. I felt like a prisoner, stuck in my office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for weeks on end.

It’s been six years since the end of the Second Wizarding War and five years since I’d finished my Hogwarts education and applied to auror training. Unlike Harry and Ron, I wanted to earn my place as a magical law enforcer. Though I was ingrained in the Wizarding community of Britain, I felt the need to prove myself, to prove that I was still a force to be reckoned with, lest one of the remaining dark wizards got any ideas.

That’s hard to do that from an office, though. Little did I know there was so much paperwork involved after every outing. Of course, the boys couldn't be bothered to do it – more so recently than usual - leaving me behind as they went to investigate and apprehend dark wizards.

In fact, now that I thought about it, I hadn't been on a mission in at least a month. The boys had been busy while I sit, trapped in my office writing reports, logging evidence, and filling out transfer requests. Paperwork was only a _part_ of the job.

With frustration boiling inside, I pushed the unfinished report to the side and pulled forward my schedule for next month. The most exciting thing I had to look forward to were a couple of days on call. The rest of the time was set aside for paperwork, meetings, and testimonials. I’d bet my salary that Harry’s and Ron’s schedules were chalk full of reconnaissance missions and raids. I’d be damned if I’m going to roll over and let this continue.

I left my office, turning toward my superior's office. I knocked on the open door and popped my head in only to find the room empty. _Just my luck,_ I scowled and headed for the next most likely place: the tactical advancement room. Really, it was just a glorified conference room but apparently 'conference room' wasn't an aggressive enough name.

I entered to find Chris, the Head Auror, having a serious chat with Harry and Ron in the corner. A few other aurors stood around the room talking, paying no mind to me as I marched over.

Harry saw me approach first recognizing the fire in my eyes. He cleared his throat and interrupted whatever Chris was saying, "Hey, Mione. What's up?"

I pointedly ignored Harry, “What's going on?"

Ron waved me off, "Nothing much."

I bristled; the three of us worked as a team – no matter what.

" _Nothing much?”_ I paused, I couldn’t snap at them in front of Chris. “You guys wouldn't happen to be discussing the commotion surrounding evidence storage, would you? I noticed the halls were blocked off this morning."

Chris looked mildly confused, “I thought you guys were going to talk to her?” He directed at the boys. They muttered poor excuses before Chris addressed me, "There was a break-in last night, just after midnight. All the evidence and paperwork from the death eater trials were stolen - including all of the wands and all of the documents relating to their arrests and sentencings."

“Oh.” My stomach churned at the possible implications. All of the things I imagined one could use the death eater trial information for, none were good. Awful as it was, I was itching for field work and this was the perfect opportunity, "What can I do to help?"

Harry and Ron looked like they wanted to protest but Chris was already speaking, "We're not sure how intruders there were or how they gained access to the storage facilities but we're already checking in with all personnel that have clearance since there was no sign of forced entry - physical or magical. They did leave a mark -  _their_  mark I assume; it's an outline of a two-headed snake. It was carved into the ground in front of the empty shelves at both locations where we stored the documents and evidence. The only real clue we have is where the last person to arrive disapparated from. It seems to be a bar in Knockturn Alley called the Portentous Grotto. If you’re up for it, why don't you head over there in plainclothes and see what information you can quietly dredge up?"

I nodded, excited to escape my office for the first time in weeks, and promised to keep them updated on any developments. I left immediately for my flat before Harry or Ron could intervene or attempt to tag along. I didn’t really want to be around them at the moment.

Once back home, I hurriedly began digging through my clothes until I found a dark but comfortable outfit to change into. I threw on a black, oversized cloak, flipping up the hood and disapparating to Knockturn Alley.

I arrived at the Portentous Grotto moments later. It was a worn and dilapidated structure with a warped, wooden set of steps jutting out towards the street in a less-than-welcoming way. It looked more like the barbed tongue of a magical creature than the entrance to a place of business.

I stepped up to the front doors, steeling my nerves with a deep breathe before pushing through the door. The buzz of conversations greeted me along with the smell of musty ales. No one paid me mind as I sat down at the end of the bar.

I ordered a firewhiskey from the disgruntled looking man behind the bar. He was tall, balding, and had a stomach that made me suspect he frequently enjoyed the products he provided. I took a faint sip and grabbed his attention before he could move on.

"I was supposed to meet someone here last night. Do you remember anyone disapparating around midnight?"

The bartender looked weary but spoke, "I wasn't working that late. You can ask Ash over there," he nodded to the bartender on the other side of the bar, "She was here last night."

I muttered my thanks and waited for Ash to move closer. Once the blond was done chatting with someone a few seats down from me, I waved her over. "I heard you were working late last night. Do you remember anyone apparating out around midnight? I meant to meet them but ended up showing too late and now I’m trying to track them down."

Ash flipped her hair over her shoulder with an irritated scowl, "Like I was just saying to the other fella, it’s not exactly uncommon for people to come and go as they please from this place. So, no." She huffed, “Maybe you two are looking for each other.”

I sat up straighter, instantly alert. "What ‘other fella’?"

Ash nodded to my right where there was now an empty seat, "I was talking to him right before you called me over."

"What did he look like?" I asked in a rush. Maybe he was meant to be part of the expedition. Maybe he knew who planned the attack and what they hoped to gain from stealing wands and court documents. Maybe he was a potential buyer for the stolen items.

"Dark blond hair, long and shaggy. Deep blue eyes and dark brown cloak embroidered with black detailing – very expensive looking.”

"Thanks for your help," I pulled a few coins from my pocket, making sure I had enough to give her a sizable tip, then sprinted out the door.

I glanced around from the top of the stairs. Knockturn Alley was never very busy so it wasn’t hard to spot my target. My heart thrumming at a possible lead, I bounded down the steps and walked as fast as I dared to catch up before the mystery man could turn a corner and evade me. I cast a silencing charm on myself before following as closely as I dared, only a few paces back. I kept my body as small and as centered behind him as I could, not wanting him to see me from the corner of his eye while I followed him. I hoped he would lead me to something of use.

The suspect eventually stalked into a cramped alleyway. I peeked around the corner to see him still walking forward with no one else in sight. I rushed forward to catch up when I noticed the alley was a dead end. I latched my hand on the suspect’s arm to confront him and bring him back to the Ministry for questioning - right as he apparated.


	2. Informant

I released a sigh of relief as my feet touched solid ground following the unexpected side-along apparation. The knots in my stomach returned as I remembered the situation I was now in. I straightened and gripped my wand tightly in my hand, glaring up at the offender.

He was just as described; long, dirty blond hair with dark blue eyes. Those deep eyes were aimed directly at me, and they looked absolutely furious.

Eventually I found my voice, "You are hereby requested to return with me to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for questioning regarding an incident that took place last night." I was thankful when my words came out strong.

The man in front of me looked like he was about to snap a rude refusal but then he took a deep breath and stiffly nodded. I grabbed his arm before he could change his mind and attempted to apparate, but nothing happened. I frowned when I tried again to no avail. While I was glad to see the anger dissipate in the suspect’s face, I didn't particularly like the smug grin that replaced it.

"That won't work." He simply stated before roughly shaking me off and walking to a fireplace along the wall, nodding for me to go through. He twirled his wand between his fingers as he waited for me to follow.

"Fat chance," I bit, eyeing him defiantly. "You first."

Frustration began to seep through again as he shook his head vehemently, "If you think for one second I'm leaving a nosy little Gryf-" He cut himself off midsentence, collecting himself and spoke a moment later in a much calmer voice, plastering on a polite look, "Together, then."

I narrowed my eyes at his erratic behavior. Was his fear of the law all that kept him from unleashing on me as he seemed to desire? Suspicious, I slowly stepped toward him and grabbed a handful of floo powder. I pushed him into the fireplace then stepped in beside him.

"Ministry of Magic, second floor."

We exited the fireplace and before I could even begin to direct him, he strolled ahead, walking in front of me with his head held high as if he had not a care in the world. I felt the intense desire to smack him, but that wouldn’t be professional, especially in front of my coworkers and higher-ups. My semi-violent thoughts were interrupted when he stopped in front of an empty interrogation room a minute later. An uneasy feeling spread through me; why did he seem so familiar with this process and the layout of the law enforcement department?

"I'll be back in a moment. Don't move." I told him once I had tucked his wand into my cloak.

I watched his eyes roll and he huffed dramatically as I forcefully shut the door and headed off to inform Chris of the development. Thankfully, he was in his office this time.

"I have a suspect in one of the interrogation rooms. I was wondering if you'd like to assist me?"

Chris looked impressed, setting down his quill and following me out. I explained to him what had transpired.

I pushed open the door to the room to find the suspect relaxing in one of the chairs with a bored, ‘I’m-too-good-for-this’ expression. How many times had I seen the same look on Malfoy's face during my school days? Maybe this man was also some posh pureblood, not that there were many left with most dead, in hiding, or in Azkaban.

Offhandedly, I wondered what Malfoy was up to these days. He was placed under house arrest immediately following the end of the war. A light sentence, if you asked me, though I didn’t know much about his involvement besides attempting to kill Dumbledore, letting death eaters into Hogwarts, and of course bearing the dark mark. Was that not enough to warrant jail time? And was house arrest even a punishment in such a large and lavish prison? Must be nice to be filthy rich – emphasize on the _filthy_ part.

Chris made an odd noise, interrupting my thoughts. He paused in the threshold, his eyes glued on the suspect. I glanced between the two men in time to see a knowing look pass between them.  _What is going on?_

"Hermione,” Chris turned to me, “I forgot to tell you Geoff was looking for you. I'll take care of this, why don't you go and find him?" Though it was phrased as a suggestion, I was already being maneuvered out the room and the door closed gently in my face. I stood, too shocked and confused to move. I refrained from pressing against the door to eavesdrop,  the rooms were charmed silent. With no other choice I left to find Geoff.

Five minutes later I was being told that he had taken the day off to celebrate his anniversary with his wife and would be back some time tomorrow afternoon. With an audible growl, I stalked back to the interrogation room. Something was going on and I was not one to be left out of the loop. The door opened and I stopped behind Chris as he backed out, "It'll just be a few more minutes. I need Kingsley to sign off on the paperwork and you'll be out of here in no time."

He closed the door and turned around to see me, "Oh! Hermione." His eyes shifted nervously, "Did you find Geoff?"

A large part of me wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but there was something bigger going on, and fighting my boss wasn't the way to go about finding out. "Yes, it was just a quick question. Learn anything from the suspect?"

"Just a simple misunderstanding. Nothing that concerns you," he added with a stern look. "And I'll need his wand back, please."

I eyed the wand as I slowly pulled it from my cloak and handed it over trying to memorize its form.

With nothing better to do, I began the trek back to my office, passing Harry and Ron who were just returning from their own assignment.

"Hey, Mione. How'd it go?"

"It went well, for the most part." Harry cocked his head hearing the edge in my voice and indicated for me to explain. "I found a man asking about what happened last night at the Portentous Grotto. I brought Chris to help me interrogate the man and he shooed me out, sending me on a wild goose chase. When I returned, he told me it was a 'misunderstanding'. And I heard him mention needing Kingsley's approval to release him... Something is going on..."

Harry and Ron shared interested looks, "That does sound odd. What're you planning on doing?" Harry asked with a half smile. Even though we hadn’t been close recently, he still knew I’d never leave well enough alone.

"I'm not sure yet. The suspect will be free to go and Chris didn’t exactly welcome questions."

"Why don't we try asking anyways, maybe he'll be more receptive if the Great Harry Potter asks him," Ron suggested with a grin.

"Oh, shut it. You know that doesn't work...sometimes."

As we neared the interrogation room in question, the door opened and Chris walked out alongside the suspect. They turned and walked away from the trio.

My eyes on the duo, I moved to follow behind them to eavesdrop, but Harry pulled me back.

“What are you doing?” I hissed and pointed, “They’re getting away!”

"I know him; that's Mr. Eklund. I've met with him a number of times, though it’s been years now. He gave us crucial information that aided in the arrest of several death eaters after the war ended. He even went on a few missions with us."

"Kingsley and maybe Chris are probably the only two who know anything about him," Ron added in an equally serious tone.

"Why didn't I ever hear about this Mr. Eklund?”

"You were finishing your final year at Hogwart's when we learned this was going on. Anyways it was - and still is, mind you - classified information. If his identity leaked he'd be number one on the death eater’s hit list. A handful avoided the kiss and I bet they’d love revenge."

I was far from convinced of the man’s innocence, "Well, if Kingsley and Chris trust him…" I’d have to quietly poke around later.

Harry and Ron nodded encouragingly, "He was a bit of a prat to us the first few times we met him, but then when he was more comfortable around us, he felt almost like an old friend. He even saved our lives a few times, so you can count us as trusting him as well.” Harry paused, “Hey, you haven't been over in a while, why don't you come for dinner with Gin, Teddy, and I? You too, Ron."

I instantly perked up at the offer. God, when was the last time I’d seen them? "What time?"

"No time like the present!"


	3. A Quick Visit

Twelve Grimmauld Place looked nothing like it used to. Instead of a dreary, neglected interior it was furnished in light, warm colors. The flooring and walls had been repaired and the furniture replaced. The numerous paintings had been moved to the room with the Black family tree, a room that was rarely entered.

I was greeted by the angry voice of Ginny as we arrived, "If you don't put your clothes away this instant, there'll be no dessert tonight!" With a grin on my face, I watched Teddy hesitate, internally debating if not putting his clothes away was worth losing dessert for a night. Ginny seemed to notice as well and upped the ante, "No desert for the next  _five whole days_." That was just too much apparently, and the tot ran to his room as fast as his feet could carry him.

"Teddy giving you trouble, Gin?" I teased.

"He's a six year old, what do you think?"

Ginny moved to greet her husband, then hugged me tightly before poking Ron in the stomach and dancing out of his reach with a grin, "It feels like forever since I've seen you two! I don't mean the two of you together, I meant...like..." She trailed off, only making it worse.

My face burned red and I tried not to look as uncomfortable as I felt. Ron and I were still getting over these transitional moments and having them highlighted certainly didn't help. I peeked over at Ron to see his face flushed as well. At least it wasn’t just me.

"Yes, it has been a while. Work’s been picking up lately." I was grateful for Harry's rescue, though it did remind me of my complaint from this morning.

"So I hear," I directed at Harry and Ron, allowing my displeasure to color my voice. "I wouldn't really know since I've been filling out all  _your_  paperwork."

Harry at least had the decency to look ashamed, "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice.” He sighed heavily, “There's been an increase in homicides recently. We can't connect a person or persons to them and we're not sure of the pattern, but primarily muggleborns and 'blood-traitors' are being targeted and you are one of – if not _the_ most famous and recognizable muggleborn."

"As noble as your intentions are, I have every right to know  _and_  to actively investigate alongside you two. In fact, I actually earned-"

Ron cut me off with a sour look, "-earned your place as auror by completing trainng instead of accepting the Ministry's offer to let you skip it. _We know."_

I sent a mild glare his way.

"Alright, enough about work,” Ginny announced, “It's as depressing as always."

"What about your work? I heard the Harpy's have a new assistant coach." Ron inquired.

Ginny made a face, "Ugh, he's the worst and our head coach thinks he’s amazing! Our training time is extended to eight hours, six days a week. So now we only get one rest day _and_  he wants to start us on some weird and intense diet regimen."

"To be fair, your last season was pretty rough. Did you guys win  _any_  matches?"

Ginny glared icily at her brother for a long few seconds, "I'm gonna go start dinner."

"That's a no then?" He called after her, laughing.

I stood up to follow her, but paused to address the boys. “So we’re clear: no more cutting me out, alright? I understand you want to protect me, but you know me well enough to know that I don’t like being sidelined.”

“Of course, Mione,” Harry promised.

“Yeah, we’re sorry, Mione.”

I nodded, appeased, and joined Ginny in the kitchen who had begun pulling out the necessary ingredients.

We didn't talk much as we worked, the only noise was Ginny's humming while my mind was busy mulling over the day's events.

_Death eater wands were stolen along with the trial documents. Those papers contain the identities of those who gave testimonials and what exactly was said. There was no sign of forced entry meaning they got clearance from someone. Either someone from the Ministry is helping them or was coerced. Mr. Eklund somehow knew of the breach though not from Chris who looked surprised to see him. If his identity was listed on the testimonials he is likely a target. Or he is actually helping them-_

"So," Ginny began, breaking into my thoughts, "How've you been since I last saw you." It was her way of asking about the breakup, and I appreciated the subtlety from a woman who was usually anything but.

"I'm fine. I found a new flat pretty quickly." I hesitated then added quietly, "Sometimes I wake up and reach for him on the other side of the bed. Those mornings especially suck."

"You were together for years, it'll take some time to recover." The redhead gave a supportive smile, "Is there anyone cute at work at least? Maybe you can wake up next to them!"

"It's only been a month, Gin!” But I laughed as she continued to waggle her eyebrows suggestively. "But to answer your question, no. I've been too busy doing your husband's and his best friend's paperwork."

"That was pretty shitty of them, I admit, but they only wanted to keep you safe. You know that."

"It's really not their place. Now I'm out of the loop about the uptick in murders and the mysterious informant!"

"The what?"

"Apparently the Ministry had an informant who helped lock up the death eaters. I ran into him today while investigating not knowing who he was. I think he’s working again." I bit my lip, worrying.

"I'm sure it’s nothing."

"Maybe. There's something about this situation that’s off, something I’m missing..." I mused, more to myself than to her.

"Like what?"

"If I knew then I wouldn’t have said ‘something’."

"If you stop thinking about it, I'm sure it'll all come together."

Harry popped his head in with a grim expression before I could respond, "There's been another murder."

I was out of the room in an instant. Ginny followed us out to the living room, giving Harry a peck on the lips before he flooed over to the Ministry. Ron and I were seconds behind.

 

Ginny gathered Teddy in her arms, "How 'bout some soup? Just you and me, kid.” She sighed, holding him close, “Again."


	4. Murder at Malfoy Manor

Chris waved us over once we entered the glorified conference room. "There was a murder over at Malfoy Manor just a few minutes ago. The owner was home and contacted us through the floo network. We'll send you three to break the scene and question the witness. I've got shit on this end to handle."

And with that we were dismissed. We shared equally unenthusiastic looks before I stepped through the fireplace, Harry and Ron behind me.

The foyer we stood in was magnificent. The ceiling was vaulted to a point tens of feet above us where an extravagant chandelier hung. It was reminiscent of a chandelier that once hung in another room of this place and a shudder passed through me. I never imagined I’d ever be back inside Malfoy Manor, and my heartbeat sped at the flashes of memories that ran through my mind. How many years had it taken before the nightmares of this place finally ceased?

A house elf popped into view, startling the bad thoughts away, "Master is waiting for you."

The hall we were led through had dark wood floors and dark green walls. Thankfully there were numerous flamelamps on the wall to brighten it up, though a few windows to let in natural light wouldn't hurt. It was an eerily quiet trek that led us up a set of stairs. At the top stood someone I hadn't seen since the Battle of Hogwarts.

Draco Malfoy looked almost the same as he did back then, just more grown up. His face had filled out, softening the sharp points and edges he’d had as a child, though he was still cutting enough to make Witch Weekly's  _Most Attractive Bachelors_  edition. He no longer looked gangly, but instead was tall and lean with a suspiciously healthy color to him that made me wonder if he’d been escaping the bounds of his sentencing. He ran a hand through his platinum blond hair, no longer worn slicked back, ruffling it up slightly before his grey eyes landed on the three of us and instantly narrowed. My breath caught when his eyes finally met mine. It was familiar and odd to feel the pressure of his silver gaze once again.

He twirled his wand between his fingers watching us crest the last few stairs. "Bloody brilliant," He muttered to himself before addressing us, "Was no one else working today? They had to send the Golden Trio?"

"Nice to see you too, Malfoy." Harry replied, looking equally displeased by the situation, “Been a while.”

“Not quite long enough.” Malfoy ground out, his stance rigid and his expression somewhere between weariness and displeasure.

"Where's the body, Malfoy? Unless you wish to prolong this process." Harry prodded.

Malfoy pursed his lips, then nodded once. He turned and pushed open a set of intricately carved double doors behind him. We followed him into the room with bated breath of what we would find inside.

Immediately I recognized it as a study - his study. His desk was covered in stacks of paper, probably portfolios for him to invest his lofty inheritance in. Behind the desk were shelves filled with antique tomes passed down through his family. A few plush chairs with end tables between them took up the rest of the room. Well, those _and_ the body that was sprawled on the ground. There was no blood but a large dent was imprinted in the wall beside the body.

"What happened?" Harry asked once he had set up a quick quill.

"Leo Carstairs,” Malfoy gestured to the body, “sent me an urgent letter requesting to meet. From the moment he arrived he was antsy and aggressive. Within minutes he was waving his wand around and threatening me. He shot an Unforgivable and I responded with a stunner."

"Must've been one hell of a stunner," Ron mumbled with a suspicious look, “You sure that’s what it was?”

Malfoy sent Ron a particularly nasty look, _“Yes.”_

Harry interjected before things heated up any further, "We'll confirm the curse with his wand. Also, we'll need yours as well."

The platinum blond wavered a moment, but a moment later his wand appeared in his hand and he passed it over, "Leo's wand is where it fell. I haven't touched anything."

"Good. I'll hand these off to get processed. Is anyone else here we need to be worried about before I return with a CSI unit?"

He shook his head, “No, its just me and a skeleton staff.”

I noticed Ron furrow his brows, “You have skeletons on staff?”

“No, you idiot,” Malfoy sneered, “It means I have only a few people working here. The skeleton of a full staff.”

Harry shook his head and backed out of the room. He mouthed “good luck” to me, his eyes darting between Ron and Malfoy who were glaring at each other. I guess it was my turn. I stepped closer to the body and to Malfoy. "What was the topic he wanted to discuss that had him so aggressive?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Malfoy, we need a detailed overview of the events leading to his death." I was already getting worked up at his unhelpfulness. His stark grey eyes focused so intently on me didn’t help either.

 _"Granger,_ it doesn't matter,” He responded in a rude, mocking tone. “The events are as follows: Leo sent an owl, we set up a meeting here, he showed up, verbally then physically threatened me, and I defended myself."

God, he hadn't changed a bit. He was still fighting me at every step and being a general pain in the arse. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from starting an argument reminiscent of our days in school. He just made it _so_ easy with that same attitude and the same unnerving gaze, like he was analyzing every breath I took and every miniscule tic on my face.

A smirk bloomed on his face as he noticed the anger I was fighting to contain. He knew I was one step away from an unprofessional comment, but with the quick quill still out I managed to hold back.

"Let's just take him back to the Ministry and let Chris have him. He can't bloody well refuse the Head Auror. Or better yet, maybe Kingsley can have him!"

I nodded at Ron's suggestion, especially since Malfoy was going back with us to the Ministry sooner or later. I thought I saw the briefest glimmer of mirth in Malfoy's eyes. I blinked and it was gone though, replaced with irritation.

Ron grabbed the blond's arm and tried to apparate, but didn't go anywhere. Ron’s confusion matched my own.

"That won't work." Malfoy responded in a haughty tone. Something about his words sounded familiar, but I couldn’t think of anything specific. I’d known him for years, though, and that sounds like something he’d have said to me more than a few times back in school. “You really think I’d allow _anyone_ to freely apparate and disapparate from Malfoy Manor? What a stupid and dangerous idea.”

I listened to Ron and Malfoy bicker on the way to the fireplace we originally came through. We passed a few CSI techs on the way up with Harry, who only rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. Malfoy was as skilled as ever at riling the redhead up with only a few choice words, and he was all but shoved through the fireplace by Ron.

"Good to see six years of house-arrest hasn't changed him." Ron grumbled sarcastically before stepping into the fireplace. It was almost comical, the two men squished together in a small space. I figured neither would see the humor, though, so I kept it to myself. In a flash of green they were gone and a moment later I stepped into the Ministry. Ron steered Malfoy toward the holding rooms. I could hear Ron’s heated responses to Malfoy's meticulous jabs and I let out a sigh, feeling my stress levels continue to climb. I’d definitely be needing a drink or two when I got home.

"Hermione, how is it going? I heard there was a murder at the Malfoy residence."

I turned around to face the source of the deep voice, "Kingsley! I mean, Minister! We just brought Malfoy in for questioning. According to him it was self-defense but we’re waiting for confirmation from the wands. Ron's waiting with Malfoy in one of the interrogation rooms." I paused, a thought crossing my mind, “Ron…Ron didn’t contact you did he?” I know he had threatened to, but it seemed preemptive and wasn’t his call anyways.

"No, why?”

“No reason.” I assured quickly, my blood pressure dropping slightly. It would not have surprised me one bit if he had, and honestly I’d have been impressed that he managed to contact the Minister of Magic without my noticing.

Kingsley looked unconvinced and his eyes were tight with concern? Stress? “Do you know which room Mr. Malfoy’s been taken too?"

"I believe Ron said he was taking him to number three. Though I’m sure he’s got it under control."

Kingsley nodded his thanks and began to make his way in the direction of the holding rooms.

"Why?" The demand slipped from my lips before I could clamp it down. Kingsley was friendly, but sometimes I forgot that he was still _the_ Minister of Magic; he was a powerful individual and probably wasn’t used to be questioned so brazenly.

But when he turned he didn’t look angry. "He's a former death eater, I just want to ensure everything is proceeding without incident."

Malfoy had been compliant insofar, except of course his refusal to answer my question surrounding the conversation he’d had with Leo leading up to Leo’s death. And with his laughably minor sentence, I didn't foresee him being a causer of incidents. At least not one big enough for the Minister to get involved before anything  _actually_  happened.

Slightly befuddled, I made my way to the tactical advancement room. Chris rushed out before I could mention the Minister's interest. Oh well, he would find out eventually.

With nothing better to do, I grabbed a bag of tea from the stash in the corner of the room and prepared a cup, hoping it would ease my growing headache. I really needed to go home before this day got any worse.

I had only been savoring my warm drink about fifteen minutes, lost in my thoughts, when Harry walked in.

"Done already?" I asked, looking up as he approached.

"He's been here maybe five minutes and they're already releasing him!"

"What?" I pushed out of my chair in shock, not believing his words, "There's no way he's been questioned in depth that quickly! He’s a former death eater, usually they do the works no matter how minor the infraction, and he basically admitted to killing the guy!"

Harry moodily plopped down beside me, crossing his arms and glaring down at the table in front of him. “I know! I know. But it wasn’t my call.”

“Whose was it?” I demanded.


	5. Interrogation Room Three

_Draco_

 

To say that I was less than pleased when the Golden Trio showed up to my home was an understatement. The last thing I needed was the Great Harry Potter with his hooligan and his bookworm digging around. It’d been years since I’d seen them and though I thought I’d gotten over my childish dislike of them, it was only too easy to fall back into old habits. They reminded me of a darker time of my life, dredging up memories I buried long ago, and with it the person I used to be.

Who was I now, then? I was still trying to figure that out.

I grew out of pureblood ideals sixth year following several half-hearted attempts to murder Dumbledore. The elder wizard offered me a chance to recompense for my actions by slipping the Order crucial information about death eater movements. Ever so slowly I developed a moral compass.

It was never my intent to create a guise as the elusive Mr. Eklund, but if the death eaters knew of my involvement with the Order as well as testifying to their abhorrent deeds after the war ended, I would be at the top of their shitlist. For all they knew I, Draco Malfoy, bribed my way to an easy sentence and remained loyal to the cause. And I was more than happy let them think that.

Per Kingsley's orders, I kept a soft hand in the dark world as Draco Malfoy. Nothing too terrible, mainly buying up dark artifacts which I later hand over to the Ministry for destruction as Eklund. It was a good thing I remained involved, too. The underworld was abuzz with talk of revenge for the destruction of the Dark Lord just six years prior. Murders of muggleborns were on the rise again. A few well-known blood-traitors had also gone missing or were found brutally murdered.

Every time another person went missing or was found dead, my worry and fear increased. Only a very select few knew that Mr. Eklund and I were one in the same, and I prayed to any and every god that they stayed safe and uninvolved or at least kept their traps shut if they were attacked.

So maybe I was still a bit of a selfish prick. Sue me.

I’d been keeping an ear to the ground the past few years, frequenting the Portentous Grotto as Mr. Eklund, a bar where shady witches and wizards were known to habit. And all was going well until Granger stuck her nose where it didn't belong. Sure, I was planning on stopping by the Ministry eventually to talk with Chris and Kingsley, but not before I had anything solid to report.

Of course, now there was the murder of Leo Carstairs that had brought the Golden Trio right into the middle of everything. And so I sit in a cold, metallic interrogation room at the Ministry, wandless and exhausted from the day's events. I wanted nothing more than to leave and flop face-first onto my bed.

I glanced up again to see Weasley still glaring at me from across the small table. One more jab would send him over the edge, and I almost did it for old times sake, but the door opened to reveal the Minister of Magic.

"Mr. Weasley, I believe Mr. Potter was looking for you earlier. I'll keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy from here on out, thank you."

Weasley pushed out of his seat, throwing one last dirty look at me as if I should feel intimidated. I smirked in response, only relaxing slightly once the door was securely shut. The Minister lowered himself into the emptied seat and I leaned forward, propping my elbows on the cold, metal table and resting my head in my hands.

"How're you holding up?" Kingsley’s voice was tinged with worry.

"Well, I’m officially a murderer. So, as well as to be expected, I guess."

"What happened, Draco?" Kingsley asked in a soft but demanding voice.

I sat up, finally meeting his eyes. "Leo sent me an owl asking to see me right away. He arrived a few minutes later and started yelling at me. He knew I was turning over the dark products he sold me to the Ministry. He pulled his wand and sent a few spells my way." I paused, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly, "My stunner may have been a bit too hard but it was close quarters and I was in self-defense mode…and I maybe panicked a little. I knew he would tell someone - that is if he hasn't already told anyone else or someone didn't tell him. I never learned how he knew of my involvement with the Ministry."

"As you know, we replaced your information with ‘Mr. Eklund’ in the death eater trial documents and in the dark artifact submissions. Only select employees have the necessary clearance to see that name, but we'll check if there's been any odd behavior from them recently. My worry is that whomever was behind the break-ins had help to decipher the amended information in the trial documents. It wouldn’t take much more digging to connect you to Eklund if one knew what to look for…"

“Do you think Leo found out I was Eklund? Surely he would’ve accused me of more than just giving dark artifacts to the Ministry.”

“Maybe he was only told about your involvement as Eklund/Draco Malfoy as it pertained to his business. How much do you think the information of Mr. Eklund’s true identity would sell? More than Leonard Carstairs could afford, I’d bet.”

I sighed. This was my worst nightmare come true; my disguise was suspected to be compromised – not even confirmed. If any previous  _acquaintances_  learned of my hand in assisting the Ministry, I’d be a dead man walking. "The name ‘Eklund’ never came up during our argument."

“The fact that ‘Eklund’ wasn’t brought up is a good sign. Nonetheless, I’ll put feelers out to see if there’s been any rumors regarding the stolen items and documents – especially concerning the sale of testimonial information.”

“Whenever I leave the Manor the façade is already on, so it would only be from the documents that I could be identified as Eklund. And the charms on the Manor are extensive, as you know." I couldn’t help my slightly arrogant smile. The Ministry stopped trying to breach Malfoy Manor over a hundred years ago. Worst case scenario, I hid inside. Technically, I was supposed to be on house arrest anyways.

Kingsley chuckled and I was glad to see some of tension leave his face, "Yes, you like to remind of that at every opportunity." His smile faded, "We may need to assume they know a ‘Mr. Eklund’ betrayed them during the trials, and they may even know that you are Eklund. You need to be more careful, they'll be watching you and the Manor more than ever."

"I'll add some more charms to the Manor. Though, I'll need my wand to do that." I remarked with a pointed look.

"Alright, alright, message received. I'll have Chris retrieve your wand and I'll see how much longer the techs will be. I'll be back in a few minutes with your wand and your release papers. You’re on house arrest already anyways, so letting you go so soon shouldn’t be hard to spin."

"Thank you, Kingsley."

 

 

_Hermione_

 

The door to interrogation room number three remained closed and I was beginning to get frustrated. It was the fifth time I’d 'inconspicuously' walked by hoping to catch a glimpse of something – anything! It just wasn't like the Minster to get entangled in an alleged self-defense cases whether or not a former death eater was involved.

I was just about to walk past the door on my sixth pass when it opened ever so slightly, though no one walked out. I shuffled as close as I dared, pressing myself against the wall by the door in an effort to eavesdrop, ignoring the odd glances from the Ministry employees strolling by.

"-go back to the Portentous Grotto tomorrow afternoon since most dealings begin or end at that bar." I heard Malfoy say quietly.

"If you think that’s a good idea. Watch your back, though, 'constant vigilance' as Moody would say."

I heard for maybe the first time an authentic laugh from Draco Malfoy. At least, it was the first laugh I’d heard from him that wasn’t due to someone else’s misfortune. My breath caught in shock. "Oh yes, you know I'm  _such_  big fan of him."

"In his defense it wasn't actually _him_ who transfigured you."

"That makes it  _so_  much better." I could practically hear the roll of his eyes, though his voice was closer and sounds of movement reached my ears.

I quickly turned around and walked away before either one noticed me.

“Minister,” Malfoy mocked loudly behind me, “it’s been  _such_  a pleasure.”

“I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your time here, Mr. Malfoy. Sadly, you must return directly back to Malfoy Manor. I believe you still have a few years left in your sentence.”

I risked a peak over my shoulder to see the two glaring at each other as Kingsley steered Malfoy to the fireplaces.

I made it back to my office, shutting the door behind me and plopping into my chair. I was more confused than ever. Alone in the interrogation room Malfoy and Kingsley acted like colleagues or friends, which made no sense as Malfoy was a former death eater and actively despised the Order and the Ministry. But in public, the two were rude and looked to despise each other.

_Maybe Kingsley's been compromised._

I shook the thought out of my head. There was no way Kingsley would take bribes from Malfoy, and he certainly didn’t support pureblooded ideals. Though he did personally see to Malfoy’s quick release from custody  _and_  it sounded like he’s knowingly allowing Malfoy to evade the bounds of his house arrest.

There was only one thing for me to do: I'd take work off tomorrow and follow Malfoy around after he arrived at the Grotto. He'd be there sometime after noon and then maybe I could finally figure out what was going on.


	6. Mr. Eklund, Mr. Jim, & Goldie

It’d been a long two hours to say the least, while I’d staked out the Grotto. I’d almost dropped dead from boredom at least a hundred times.

I couldn’t risk missing my childhood enemy violating his house arrest, so I had arrived at noon. When he didn't show up and no conversations sparked my interest, I began taking extremely detailed notes of the pub in an attempt to pass time. “The afternoon” was a broad term so I still had a few hours more to endure.

What a bastard. Couldn’t even sneak away from his punishment at a convenient time.

With a sigh, I grabbed my nearly finished beer and maneuvered to the bar for a refill. One of the patrons was conversing intensely with the wizard next to him before he backed-up abruptly and without looking. I tried to dodge but it was too late. I yelped as I was knocked into, watching as my drink splashed onto the back of his cloak.

"Next time watch where you're goin' would ya?" He bit as he turned around.

I recognized the man right away, wondering how I could’ve missed seeing him enter the pub. "Maybe you should watch _yourself_ , Mr. Eklund. And I believe you owe me a drink now."

An smug grin slid onto his face as he leaned back against the bar. "I don't buy people drinks. People buy  _me_  drinks."

I glared up at his haughty face thinking about how well Malfoy would get along great with this chump. "Pompous ferret." I grumbled under my breath.

"Bushy haired, know-it-all." It slipped out before he could bite his tongue and his face scrunched up as he realized just how costly of a mistake he’d made. "Don't!" He cut off in warning before I could utter his true name.

I narrowed my eyes, my hand gripping my wand in case he tried anything funny. "Aren't you supposed to be under house arrest?"

I could see the gears turning in his head and I knew exactly what he was about to do. I latched onto his wrist as tightly as I could just before the world turned into a swirling blur.

I gasped as my feet returned to solid ground. He yanked his arm free and I aimed my wand at him, sparing a few glances to survey our surroundings. We were in the maze of dingy alleyways in Knockturn Alley, probably not far from the Grotto.

“Can’t you leave me alone? Just this once?”

“It never stopped you when I tried to get you off my back.” I responded icily.

Malfoy frowned and I was surprised to see his unbridled anger dissipate. “There is something much bigger going on, Granger, and I don’t have time for this.”

I watched a new idea click together in his mind. I didn’t like the subtle change in his gaze, as if he figured out a way to neutralize me. It must’ve involved more than just running away because if it did, he would’ve been gone already.

I raised my wand higher and warned him in a calm yet stern tone, “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, _don’t.”_

“Well, well, well. What’s going on over here?”

A rough looking man stepped forward as I whirled around, a handful of rough looking men trailing behind him. He squinted at me. “Well now, you look just Hermione Granger. But that can’t be right. What business would she have in such a despicable part of town?” He leered at me, an evil gleam in his eyes. While Malfoy was an arse and currently breaking the bounds of his sentencing, in a twisted way I trusted him more. I took a few steps away from the grimy stranger and closer to the disguised wizard behind me.

The man’s attention flicked past me. “Eklund. Cavorting around with the Golden Girl, are we?”

“Not at all, Mr. Jim.” Malfoy’s tone was airy and his stance relaxed, but his gaze continuously flicked between Mr. Jim and the men behind him and I knew he was anything but. “She’s attempting to convince me to rat out some bastard who was foolish enough to get himself on the Ministry’s radar. I might add that she’s doing it quite poorly.” He shook his head mockingly at me.

“Really? We don’t take too kindly of rats here, _Goldie,_ or those who would breed them. And we especially don’t like your kind poking around.” He spat at my feet.

“My kind? You mean muggleborns or aurors?” I snapped. Not my best decision as I was trapped in an isolated alley with Malfoy on one side and a band of thugs on the other.

“Either. Both.” He looked back at Malfoy. “What do you plan to do with the rat breeder?”

“Probably let her go. If she’s stupid enough to approach people in Knockturn Alley as herself, someone else will soon finish her off.”

“Smart thinking; let somebody else get their hands dirty.” He growled approvingly. I didn’t like the roving once-over he gave me. “Seems you’re in luck. We’ll happily take her off your hands, free of charge.”

I _really_ didn’t like the sound of that, especially since I wasn’t actually doing anything Malfoy accused me of.

_Malfoy._

An idea hit me, a bad one admittedly, but it was all I had.

“Before you decide whom it is you wish to ‘finish off’ – Mr. Jim was it? – I have a fascinating tidbit for you.” I shot Malfoy a predatory grin, savoring the flash of uncertainty in his eyes. “Did you know that this man here is –” _actually Draco Malfoy?_ The last and most important part of my sentence was cut off. I tried to speak again but no words came out. Magic ropes sprung to existence and tightened around my body, forcing my wand out of my grip.

“Tsk tsk. I believe Goldie had something to tell me.” Mr. Jim waggled his finger at Malfoy. “And I’d love to hear what it is.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d really rather you didn’t know what she was trying to blackmail me with.”

Mr. Jim took a few steps forward. I shuffled to the side of the alley, putting my back against the wall as the two parties faced off. I tried to inconspicuously escape the bindings but they were too strong.

“I’ll give you a choice,” Malfoy sauntered forward, tall and menacing with a sneer plastered on his cold face, “you can hear the lady out. And I then I kill you. Or you can leave and we forget what transpired here.”

“Not much of a choice.” Mr. Jim considered this seriously, then grinned. “I propose a third option, a peace-offering, if you will. Why don’t we kill the rat breeder together? You don’t want to be blackmailed and I don’t need any more rats running around.”

Malfoy’s faux blue eyes slid to me. I couldn’t read his expression but I was surprised not to see glee. He seemed to appraised me as if to determine my worth and my propensity for stirring up trouble. I tried my best to plead for mercy with my eyes, trying to promise him I’d stay out of the way. I’d tell the Ministry about interacting with him outside of Malfoy Manor as soon as possible but he didn’t need to know that.

He pursed his lips, looking down at me as if I were a disgusting bit of gum stuck on his shoe, then he turned back to Mr. Jim and nodded. My stomach to dropped and the burning sensation of panic crawled across my skin. I couldn’t believe he would hand me over to a group of goons!

Actually, it wasn’t too hard to believe. He’d always hated me and now I knew his big secret.

He twirled his wand deftly between his fingers before it disappeared into thin air. “That sounds like a wonderful notion. Honestly, there isn’t anything I’d love to see more.” Malfoy approached me, ripping me away from the wall and shoving me forward without a flicker of remorse. I almost tripped from the ropes winding around my body but I managed to right myself before thrashing. His grip tightened on my shoulders and I hadn’t the freedom of movement to run away or disapparate.

I was pulled to a stop in front of the gang, only one of Malfoy’s hands remaining on my shoulder.

“Any requests?” I thought Mr. Jim was asking me, not that I could speak anyways, but he wasn’t looking at me. He was asking Malfoy if he had any preferences on how to kill me.

“Hm…what if we –”

Then all hell broke loose.


	7. Confrontation

I would’ve screamed if I’d had the ability as I was forcefully shoved into Mr. Jim and his cronies. We fell over in a heap and I wiggled my way off of him trying not to gag from the smell of unwashed man.

Curses and jinxes were flying back and forth between Malfoy and the thugs. I wasn’t sure how, but within a minute he was the only one still standing.

I blinked in disbelief, eyeing the unconscious, tied up lumps on the ground. Malfoy huffed and stalked over to me. I was too stunned and confused to crawl away or fight. He hoisted me up, keeping a firm grip on my arm. He looked resigned, to what end, I didn’t know.

“We’ll get these goons to the Ministry, then we need to talk. If you do anything to alert someone about what you _think_ you know, I’ll be more than happy to drop you in whatever cell they put Jim and his men in. Are we clear?” His tone was threatening, but I wasn’t sure I believed it. After all, he could’ve let Mr. Jim have at me and walked away with none the wiser.

_So why didn’t he?_

I nodded, praying that I kept my hopefulness contained. What an idiot he was, taking me back to the Ministry. He moved away, piling the unconscious men together then scouring the alleyway for something. He picked up a tattered old jacket and muttered something under his breath before laying it over the men, making sure each was attached to the clothing item.

Then he came back to me, removing the silencing charm and bindings, and I rubbed my arms where the ropes had bit in, and my anger finally broke free as I shoved him roughly. “You used me as a human bowling ball!”

My mouth instantly clamped shut as a wand was pointed in my face.

“I _will_ use this again, Granger. Now shut up.”

I scowled but did as he asked, especially since I couldn’t see nor summon my wand. I wondered if he’d grabbed it at some point. Malfoy placed one hand on my arm and his wand disappeared from his other. I was steered towards the bodies and jacket, and he leaned over to grab a piece. When I didn’t move, his hand slid down my arm and he maneuvered my hand to the jacket. I was too distracted by the odd sensation of his touch to ask why we were leaned over a pile of people under a nasty old jacket. My answer came soon enough when the world twirled around me and the breath left my body, only to return seconds later.

“Welcome back, Ms. Granger. What treats have you brought for me today?” The attendant at intake asked me, waving a brightly colored lollipop at the bound men before putting it back in her mouth.

“Uh, these men wanted to…kill me.” I wasn’t sure what to say. While they had discussed killing me, none really tried.

The intake lady – Beth – shot me a look. “Is that all? I don’t think that’s enough to hold them…”

“They openly attacked me, shooting curses and jinxes at me. If it weren’t for Ms. Granger here rounding them all up, I’d surely be in trouble.” Malfoy explained. From his tone and expressions, I almost believed it.

“Well, that’s some good fortune you have, sir.”

“We’ve got somewhere we must be.” Malfoy yanked me close, his eyes echoing his previous warning, “Why don’t you send the necessary paperwork to Ms. Granger’s office and she’ll take care of it in a bit.”

Beth looked wary but nodded. “Alright. As long as she gets it completed by the end of the day.”

Malfoy bowed his head, “Of course,” then the ground was gone from under me once more.

I pushed him away. “Quit whisking me away, will you?!”

“Mr. Eklund, Ms. Granger,” a soft voice behind me called. "I'll let the Minister know you're here."

“Thank you, Melanie.” Malfoy responded.

_How did he know the Minister’s assistant?_

When the doors opened Malfoy marched in first, throwing himself into a chair moodily. My blood boiled as I followed, the doors slamming shut behind me. I had a headache from all the side along apparation and the general mess of a week I was having.

"What brings you two here?"

My options were to say nothing at all or everything. Well, here’s to hoping Kingsley’s still a good guy. "Mr. Eklund is a ruse," I pointed angrily at Malfoy. "He's  _actually_  Draco Malfoy and I caught him violating the conditions of his sentence."

I heard a quiet "finite incantatem" and watched as his hair shortened and turned pale blond. His eyes began to lighten to their natural grey color and once they landed on me, I could see the displeasure burning behind them.

_I was right!_

I shifted my gaze over to the Minister who gave me a smile of mixed emotion. A few looks passed between the two men.

"How much does she know?"

"I don’t know. She was about to shout my name for all to hear after she ran into me at the Grotto. If my cover wasn’t blown before –"

 _"Excuse me._   _She's_   _right here."_ I waved my hands to get their attention. “And technically _you_ ran into _me_.”

“Yeah, that’s the important part to this story, Granger.”

The Minister gave an ashamed smile. "My apologies for talking over you. As you may have figure out, Mr. Malfoy is working for the Ministry."

" _What?_ _That can’t_ be right!” My face scrunched up, unable to comprehend what he said. Out of all the things I imagined, the thought of Malfoy playing nice with the Ministry was never one of them.

"Look," Malfoy began, ignoring me once more, "She almost ratted me out while I was at the Grotto. It's already bad enough I might've been seen talking with her there. Even worse, we were confronted by Jim and his lackeys. It would’ve been fine but she decided to try her luck by selling me out. I had to shut her up before it got too far.” He glared at me before looking at the Minister again. “There was a bit of a skirmish and we dropped them off at intake moments ago. Hopefully Jim doesn’t retaliate or blacklist me…”

This is not how I imagined my day going. Every time I thought it couldn’t get any worse or weirder, I was thrown for yet another loop. It was exhausting and I dropped into the open seat behind me.

"What on Earth is going on here, Minister? What exactly does he do? How long has this been going on? Why _him?_ How can you even trust him? And what's with  _‘Mr. Eklund’?"_ I listed off, my eyes darting between them, desperate for answers.

Kingsley considered us both for a minute, eyeing Malfoy before he seemed to make up his mind. "Mr. Malfoy, it is up to you how much you wish to divulge, but she _is_ involved with this now, for better or worse. Ms. Granger, anything you may have gleaned or are told stays to yourself. That means  _not_  telling Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, or anyone else. You would be putting lives at stake. Do you understand?" I wanted to argue – I told my best friends everything – but I knew better than to push. I nodded stiffly.

Malfoy released a dramatic huff. “I’m an informant for the Ministry. It doesn’t matter how long or why. All you need to know is that I’m trusted by Kingsley and Chris – even your boy-toys Potter and Weasley trust Eklund.”

I blinked at my childhood enemy. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to tell me?” He nodded assent. “What if that’s not good enough?”

“It’ll have to be.” He growled.

Kingsley cleared his throat. “In exchange for breaching his punishment, Eklund gives us information from the darker side of wizarding society. As Draco Malfoy, he buys up dark artifacts that are secretly hands over to us for destruction.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to wrap my head around the flurry of information being thrown my way. There was no way it was true. Malfoy was an absolute arsehole, the epitome of scum of the Earth, something he liked to tell the people he thought below him. I just couldn’t make myself believe he was suddenly working for the good side.

Kingsley must’ve also felt the tense atmosphere of the room. “I think that’s enough for today, why don’t we all meet tomorrow?”

I nodded, not sure I was able to form words at the moment, and stood up.

“You better keep this to yourself, Granger.” Malfoy’s tone hinted at a threat, as did the look in his eyes. I nodded once more and turned to leave but he demanded my attention one last time, “And don’t forget to fill out the paperwork for Jim.”

I scowled at the smirk on his face and let the doors bang shut behind me.


	8. Offer and Acceptance

I sat at my desk staring into space  _still_  trying to make sense of everything.

Draco Malfoy was working for the Ministry. Harry and Ron trusted him as Eklund, meaning Malfoy had been working for the Ministry for at least six years. Did he flip at the last moment when it was clear Voldemort would lose? Or had he been working for the Ministry before the Battle of Hogwarts? It was hard to see that, though, thinking back on how he acted even in our later school years.

A sharp series of knocks sounded from my open office door.

"Hey, Mione,” Harry’s head popped in. “Chris gave Ron and me a lead to follow for one of the recent homicides. Want to come with? We're heading out in a few minutes."

I beamed, glad to once again be included. "I appreciate it and I _really_ wish I could accept but I'm leaving for a meeting." Harry was about to open his mouth, presumably to ask about the topic of said meeting but I knew better than to try to lie to him, so I misdirected instead as I strolled out of my office. "When you guys get back, you'll have to stop by and tell me how it went. But I really have to go."

Harry promised he would find me after then split off to catch up with Ron.

I arrived outside the Minister's office minutes later, my heart fluttering in my chest anxiously. Inside, The Minister sat behind his massive desk while Malfoy sat in one of the two chairs across from him. The two were talking in hushed tones, that was until Malfoy's grey orbs landed on me.

"Welcome," Kingsley greeted warmly gesturing to the empty chair next to Malfoy. "We have discussed it and we think you'd be a helpful addition to our two-man team." He sent a pointed look to Malfoy who avoided my dubious gaze.

“What would this position entail exactly?"

"It's more autonomous than your current position, to start. Right now, our priority is determining who is behind recent raid on the Ministry. We believe they may also be responsible for many of the deaths from the past month. You would be working with Draco to track them down. We need to figure out if there is an organized group, who is leading it, and what his or her goal is."

I’d be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t tempted. It was exactly what I wanted – to be in the thick of things, spending my efforts trying to capture the worst of the worst. But I did have one other thing think of considering Malfoy and I weren’t known to play nice. "What about my current job?"

"Chris will be informed that you are working alongside Mr. Eklund for me. It'll likely be intermittent work for this job, so you can spend most of your time there."

I bit my lip, contemplating his words. I _should_ say no. Working with Malfoy would be an impossible task and we’d fight the entire time. But I couldn’t pass on this opportunity. "I accept."

"Great!" Kingsley clapped his hands together, clearly pleased at saddling me up with Malfoy.

"Will I be able to tell Harry and Ron now?"

For the first time that day Malfoy really looked at me. He shook his head vehemently. "Absolutely not! No bloody way! I'm already  _incredibly_  hesitant about your involvement. There's no way I'm putting my life in the hands of Potter and Weasley as well. They'll sell me out first chance they get. As much as they may like Eklund, they hate me."

I scowled at the picture he painted of my two closest friends. "They're not like that. Even if they don't like you, they would never intentionally hurt you."

The blond snorted, looking down his nose at me with something akin to pity. "You rudding Gryffindors. You're far too trusting. Some might even say _naïve_. It’s a wonder there are any of you left to procreate."

He gave Kingsley an 'I told you this wouldn't work' look which only served to infuriate me even more and I stood up, too upset to stay seated. "Just because your friends are all manipulative bastards doesn't mean everyone else's are too! At least my friends didn’t follow a genocidal maniac to the ends of the Earth."

The briefest flash of shock was quickly replaced by a stoic fury. He pushed out of his chair and addressed Kingsley. "Granger is testing enough, as you can see. Potter and Weasley will lead to my destruction one way or another – whether by ratting me out or by driving me to a self-inflicted death. _They will not be involved."_ His disguise returned and then he was gone, the doors closing behind his retreating form.

I wondered what kind of earful he was going to get later for talking to the Minister of Magic like that, but Kingsley only looked resigned, not angry. "Though his reasoning may have been…shaky, it is his life on the line and therefore his choice. Maybe after he warms up to you, we can discuss this again. I think it'll be good for him in the long run."

"Good for him? How do you mean?"

He sighed and leaned back in his seat, folding his hands together over his stomach. "The only _real_ interactions he has are with me, and maybe Narcissa when she visits, though he doesn't talk about her much. You're comment about his friends – or lack thereof – may have hit a little too close to home. Keep in mind he's balancing the lives of three people: Mr. Eklund the informant, Draco Malfoy the ever-loyal heir of a pureblooded family, and his actual self, just Draco, whom often loses priority to the other two."

I caught his underlying message, as crazy as it was, "You want me to befriend him? Were you in the same room just now?” It felt like we were back at Hogwarts trading insults in the halls.

"It was just a thought is all. I'll send details of your first assignment later. I think you both need some time to collect yourselves."

"That sounds like a great idea." With a polite smile I booked it from the room, returning to my office and closing the door. I tried to reassure myself that I made the right decision but doubt was already seeping into my mind.


	9. First Mission

A few days later, I sat in my office going over case details that Kingsley had sent over. A couple of stores in Diagon Alley had been quietly broken into the previous night. Multiple high-level spell books and potions books were stolen from Flourish & Blotts. Potage’s Cauldron Shop was also reporting missing inventory. If potions books and cauldrons were taken, the next logical targets were ingredients.

Malfoy and I were tasked with keeping an eye on the multiple apothecaries located in east Diagon Alley. While it wasn’t the bold mission I was hoping for, I understood why the Minister felt the need to send us on a test run before giving us a big case like a kidnapping or a murder; the two of us didn’t exactly have the best track record in terms of getting along. It’s a bit of a challenge to befriend someone who openly detests you and thinks of you as trash.

A memo flew into the room and landed gently in front of me.

 

_Granger,_

_I will meet you outside Mr. Mulpepper’s Apothecary at eleven tonight._

_-Your Partner_

 

I released a long sigh as I reread Malfoy’s scant note. No “Is the time alright with you?” or “Where do you suppose we should meet?”. Still an inconsiderate jackarse. As much as I wanted to send a nasty remark or maybe nothing at all, it was an important mission – our first mission – so I scratched out a reply.

 

_Eleven is good. How about we meet atop one of the shops across from the potion supply stores instead? It will grant us a better view of the apothecaries._

_-HG_

 

Hours later and without any further word from Malfoy, I was almost done casting protective charms on my outfit at home when the clock chimed eleven.

“Aw shit, I’m going to be late!” I groaned, “I’m never going to hear the end of this.”

I quickly finished the spell I was on then hurriedly slipped into a pair of shoes, wrapped my cloak around myself, and flipped off the lights before disapparating.

I appeared quietly on the roof of Flourish & Blotts, pulling my cloak closer as a chilly breeze cut right through me. Flourish & Blotts was only a two-story building, but that was an advantage over the one-story apothecaries across the street. I searched the darkness of the rooftop to no end – it as empty, no Malfoy. Since I had to wait for him anyways, I added a few more touches to my protection charms.

Ten minutes crawled by and Malfoy still hadn’t shown up. I couldn’t believe his lack of punctuality and apparent lack of concern for our first assignment. Annoyed and achy from spying over the low wall of the bookstore roof in an awkward position, I turned to search for something to transfigure into a chair and maybe something else to transfigure into a howler to send to Malfoy.

But then the flamelamps began to extinguish one by one below. I ducked further behind the roof’s wall and peered over the edge into the encroaching darkness. A hooded figure shrouded in all black was carefully approaching Mr. Mulpepper’s Apothecary before unlocking the door and slipping in. Without hesitation I apparated in front Flourish & Blotts with my wand in hand. I shuffled across the deserted street to Mr. Mulpepper’s, and with a deep breath, I snuck inside.

It’d been years since I’d visited the store. Under different circumstances I would’ve loved to browse through the cluttered shelves stuffed with magical ingredients, and reminisce over school shopping for Hogwarts. Alas, the aisles were eerie in the dark and harboring a criminal.

My heart raced as I crept forward, my head on a swivel. In the near-complete darkness it was impossible to see much and I hoped I could locate the intruder before I literally bumped into them.

It seemed the suspect was also having trouble maneuvering in the ill-lit conditions. The sounds of someone running into furniture and glass bottles rattling was loud in the otherwise silent store. I swung around and inched toward the noise. I peeked into each aisle, glancing back every now and then.

Finally, I reached the aisle that contained the intruder. They were walking away from me, heading toward the back of the shop. Once I was a couple paces behind them, I aimed my wand and ropes shot out, encircling my target.

With an “umph” the suspect forcefully slammed into the edge of a counter and dropped to the floor. Their arms were trapped to their sides and their ankles together, wrapped in tight coils. Their wand clinked as it fell and rolled out of sight.

I flipped the person onto their back, conjuring light, so that I could see them.

It was a young man with brown hair. One of the ropes had looped around his face, acting like a gag. His eyes were a mixture of panic and determination – that was until they focused on me.

“Hrnher?” He tried to ask, looking up at me with surprise.

“What? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You’ll have plenty of time to talk once I get you back to the Ministry.”

The man rolled his eyes and looked up at me more like “how stupid can you be?” than “Merlin, I’ve been caught!”. Out of curiosity I pulled the rope loose away from his mouth, keeping my wand pointed at him just in case he attempted anything.

“I think you cracked my ribs, _partner,”_ He glared.

 _“Malfoy?!”_ I hissed, caught off guard. _“What are you doing in here?!”_

“As much as I love hearing my name – and I do – you _really_ need to learn the basic concepts of working undercover – like not revealing identities. Did you even pay attention during auror training?”

“Yup, it’s definitely you,” I huffed, relaxing a bit, “Why are you in here?”

“I waited out back and you never showed up. Since we’re pretty sure the other crimes happened well-past midnight, I figured I had time to look for possible entrances and exits, maybe try and identify high-value ingredients they might focus on.”

“I sent you a message saying we should meet across the street on one of the roofs right after I got your note.”

“I never got your letter.”

“It wasn’t a letter, it was a Ministry memo.”

He struggled to push himself up into a sitting position, but once he did, he looked at me like I was an idiot once again, “Tell me, Granger, do I work in the Ministry?”

“Well, ah, I mean, you work _for_ the Ministry...”

“How could you possibly think I have a bloody office there? I’m serving time!”

I glared down at him, crossing my arms defensively, “Yeah, well…your message was an internal memo!”

“I was just visiting our boss! Look, we can discuss this later, just get me out of these?”

I twirled my wand and smiled sweetly down at him. This was too good not to savor. “What’s the magic word?”

“Bite me,” He deadpanned.

“Technically that’s two words…”

A heavy creak nearby startled us both. I spun around but saw nothing.

 _“Now.”_ Malfoy urged in a low voice.


	10. First Mission - Part 2

I had just removed the bindings when a spell launched me over Malfoy. I landed roughly on the ground and skidded to stop at the end of the aisle. My charmed clothing protected me from the brunt of the spell, but my body ached where I had awkwardly connected with the floor. When I glanced up Malfoy’s wand had returned to his hand and he immediately began dueling with our attacker.

I stood just in time to see another person sneaking up, probably trying to trap the two of us in the aisle. I was able to block the bright spells spent my way and disarmed them. Out of desperation my attacker charged, a poor decision as I petrified then bound them.

Behind me, Malfoy was battling the first opponent. He was inching back as the enemy continued pressing forward. Malfoy’s head snapped to the side as he was viciously elbowed across the face and he sprawled on the floor, dazed as the assailant turned toward me. I stepped forward with my wand raised and gave everything I had.

I too found myself backing out of the aisle. Something pressed hard against my back and I realized I was up against the wall. My spells became more and more desperate as the foe inched closer and closer.

In a flash, my attacker’s wand was ripped away. Both of us turned to see Malfoy upright with his hand thrust out. He looked unsteady, leaning against a shelf, like even the lightest breeze would knock him over.

With a battle cry, the aggressor launched towards him and was immediately stunned, dropping to the floor with a loud _thud._

I lowered my wand, eyes glued on the unconscious body between Malfoy and me. Deciding it was best not to take any chances, I petrified and bound both assailants.

“We should leave and take these two with us,” Came Malfoy’s disguised voice, tight with pain. “I’m in no condition to fight anyone else.”

I scooped up the closer criminal, “I’ll meet you at Intake & Processing.”

In the faint light I saw Malfoy’s dark figure nod, then I disapparated.

 

 

_Draco_

 

I looked down and sighed heavily. “I’ll try my best not to splinch us.” With an audible groan, I leaned over and grabbed the unconscious man.

My skin stung slightly from the rough apparation but I seemed intact and fully clothed when I landed, so that was a good sign.

“Who are you?” A gruff voice demanded behind me.

I was saved from answering when Granger appeared, “He’s with me. Put his catch with mine.” She motioned to the bound person I held.

The man did as he was told, levitating the prisoner out of my grasp.

“Merlin, Mal – err…partner,” Granger corrected, walking closer, “Are you okay?”

“Is that concern for my well-being I hear?”

She rolled her eyes at me, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. We should get you to the med staff, though.” She looked me over with a worried expression. I never would’ve thought Hermione Granger would be interested in my health.

I shook my head, that was the last thing I wanted to do. The healers for the aurors were trained for speed, so their results were not always of the best quality. “It’s really nothing, Granger. Besides we have enough paperwork to fill out as it is.”

“Fine. Let’s get you cleaned up _then_ we can fill out the forms for the two we dropped off.” She stated in a firm voice before turning and walking away, leaving me no chance to argue.

I frowned and hesitated, suspicious of her interest in my health and safety, but eventually I gave in and followed her to a singular restroom just down the hall. I locked the door behind me and silently released the spell maintaining my façade. I never got used to the feeling of switching between disguises. My skin would crawl before it felt like my body was being stretched and squished and frozen in place. It was always a relief to return to myself.

I stopped beside Granger in front of the sink and finally realized why she seemed so concerned; sticky dark blood covered most of my face and had dripped down the front of my dark clothes. My hair stuck up in a million different directions and the thin skin below my eyes was already starting to bruise.

Granger turned me to face her and instantly cleaned the mess off my face with a flick of her wand.

“I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, especially since the ribs are your handiwork.” I noted with a pointed look laced with irritation.

She pulled away, embarrassed, “Sorry. It’s just habit from my time with the boys.”

“Yeah, I’d probably stun them into oblivion, too.”

“I meant about _healing_ them.” She growled, leaning against the counter while I set my nose with a painful _crack._

“Saving the pain for me, then. Don’t I feel special?”

“Well, payback’s a bitch.”

“You’re right.” I paused my ministrations, took a deep breath, and faced her. It was now or never. “I’m sorry.”

She blinked up at me in surprise. “What?”

“I haven’t had the chance to apologize – well, I guess I’ve had years to send a letter or something.

I made your life an absolute living hell for years. I was raised to thrive on torturing those that were ‘less’ than me, and you just happened to be my rival’s best friend. It didn’t help that you consistently bested me in academics as well. There are a million things I wish I could change or do differently, but I can’t. All I can do is apologize.”

“Thank you.” She responded in a soft voice.

I cleared my throat, “I’ll, uh, fill out the papers for the two we brought in. And I’ll send a pair of aurors to keep an eye on the shops through the night, though I doubt anyone would risk another attack.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind…”

I shook my head. “I’ll see you later.” This was more than my solitary mind could handle for a day. “And Granger?” I called before she got to the door.

“Yeah?”

I put on a moderately grumpy scowl, “This doesn’t mean we’re friends.”

She looked briefly surprised, and then she had the audacity to grin as if my comment was somehow amusing, “Oh, I know. You may not be a homicidal lemming anymore, but you’re still an arsehat. Goodnight, Malfoy.”


	11. Perspective

“Where is it?!” I seethed, slamming desk drawers open and closed. It had to be somewhere in my office, I never took it anywhere! I stood up and shuffled things around on my desk to no avail, then bent down scouring the floor for my missing stamp. I had a pile of documents awaiting the official Ministry sign off but it seemed to have vanished into thin air. “Where the fu-” I hesitated. I was still at work, ”-dge could it be?” ‘Fudge’ just didn’t carry the same weight as the word I was about to use, and now I felt frustrated  _and_  unsatisfied.

“That’s some  _nearly_  unprofessional language your using there, Granger.” Someone  _tsked_  from the doorway.

I immediately straightened up and glowered at the source of the haughty voice, “What do you want Mal-” I clenched my hands into fists. I needed to get better at separating Malfoy and his ever-growing closet of disguises. He looked like he did on our first mission. “What name are you going by this time?”

“Jon,” He replied and strolled into my office, closing the door behind him, his eyes roving around and looking anywhere but me, “Kingsley suggested I stop by to discuss our first mission. Any further miscommunications won’t be tolerated. Also, he mentioned something about ‘playing nice’.”

It was clear from his tone and the way he hardly met my eyes that he didn’t want to be here, and I didn’t particularly want him here either. I had a missing stamp to find and a stack of papers that needed to be approved before lunch. And while I believed his apology a few days ago was sincere, I still wasn’t his biggest fan.

In the seconds I was taking to contemplate his offer a knock sounded on my door. “Come in,” I called, ignoring Malfoy’s frown.

Geoff peeked his head in, “Hey, Hermione. I have the papers you requested.”

“Oh, great! You’re a lifesaver!” I beckoned the handlebar-mustached man into the room.

He handed the folders over, blue eyes darting between me and the stoic man behind him, “I could go over them if you want?” He glanced back over at Malfoy and shrank away, “Or later, if you’re busy,” He mumbled, making his way out of the room and with a brief, panicked smile at me, he was out of the room and the door closed.

“Impressive,” I mused, “and rude.”

Malfoy furrowed his brows, “I wasn’t rude – I didn’t even say anything.” I gave him a dubious look. “…You thought it was impressive?” He grinned slyly.

“It is,” I confirmed, scanning through the papers in my hand before tossing them on my desk and looking up at him, “You didn’t even open your mouth and yet your personality still shined through strong enough to clear the room in seconds.”

His amusement faded, replaced by a frown.  _I_  was amused.

“I should’ve known you’d find a way to insult me.”

 “Can’t handle your own medicine,  _Malfoy?”_ I stepped closer to him so I was in his face, baiting him with a faux frown, “Words can have quite the bite, can’t they?”

He pursed his lips but to my surprise it wasn’t to hide anger but the way his lips itched to curl upwards, “Don’t start a game you’re not prepared to finish, Granger.”

I don’t think we’ve ever been this close. I could hear his quiet breathing and see the dark outline of his irises. I could almost feel the singe of the fire I was playing with, or maybe that was just the heat rolling off him. The light scent of his cologne was distracting in a not-unpleasant way.

I walked back over to my desk, “In the words of the Aristocats, ‘Ladies do not start fights,” I looked up and glared fiercely, allowing my tone to further my warning, “but we can finish them’.”

“The  _what?_  Did you just say  _Aristocats?”_  His frown increased with his confusion and I was dismayed that my threat had no impact.

“It’s a muggle movie. Don’t worry about it.”

“Look, I didn’t come here to talk about bloody ‘Aristocats’ or any other weird muggle things you plan to pull out of your arse –”

“My arse is none of your business.” I snapped. “You’re only here because you were ordered to play nice. And I might mention, you’re not off to a stellar start.”

“I was _not_ ordered.”

“It came from the Minister of Magic. Isn’t every ‘suggestion’ from him basically an order?” I prodded.

“Kingsley knows better than to order me around.” He responded tight lipped.

“Really?” I feigned disinterest, focusing on reorganizing my haphazard desk. “And why is that?”

When the silence dragged on, I paused to glance up and see him tense and like he was struggling not to pop his top. “I think I’m done playing nice for now. I’ll stop by later and we can talk about our lead.”

I smirked and crossed my arms as he made his way to the door. He faltered with his hand on the knob. “What’s with the look?” His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“I was just waiting for you to admit you can’t handle it.”

His hand dropped, “Handle what exactly?”

“Someone nosing around your life and constantly poking the bear.”

He sighed heavily and his anger subsided, “I apologized for my actions during our time at Hogwarts.”

“And your actions now?”

“I –” He stopped and contemplated this seriously, “It’s like you said the other day: I may not be evil, but I’m still a bastard.”

“I believe the term I used was ‘arsehat’.” I corrected, though it lacked any force. I was still in shock looking at his face which no longer bore a smug or irritated expression.

He raised an eyebrow at my interruption. When I muttered a halfhearted “sorry” he continued, “But no matter what I say or do Granger, I mean you no harm.”

I believed it, to a degree. It wasn’t hard to looking at the uncomfortable look on his face. I didn’t think he’d physically hurt me, but I wasn’t so sure about verbally or emotionally. He definitely still liked to play mind games.

I nodded, not sure what to say in response and he left, leaving the door open behind him.

_And they say women are confusing!_

I leaned against my desk, searching for air and for the meaning behind his words.

Eventually I pulled myself together, I had work to get done.

“Oh, _fuck me!”_

Someone walking by my office gave me a disgruntled look and I called out an apology after them. My eyes had landed on my stamp hiding behind my cuppa. I grabbed it with a growl and moved around my desk to add the finishing touch to a stack of documents.


	12. Experiment

Malfoy and I strolled through Diagon Alley on a brisk afternoon. The sun was hidden behind dreary clouds and a biting wind cut through my coat. Malfoy was disguised as the brunette auror Jon, content with our pace and not seeming to notice the frigid weather in his lightweight jumper. It was absolutely infuriating. How come I was in heavier outerwear and freezing my arse off and he was waltzing around in a thin little pullover?

“Ugh,” I groaned, “It’s too cold out for this.”

He quirked an eyebrow at me, “Did your warming spell fade?”

“No…I didn’t cast one…”

His steps faltered as he turned to face me, “Why not? You know what,” he held up his hands, “it doesn’t matter. Why don’t you just do it now?” I made a face at the suggestion and huffed exasperatedly. _“What?”_

“It’s not the same.” I mumbled under the weight of his pointed gaze.

“As what?”

“As…” I searched for the words to explain it, scrunching up my nose in thought, “Not the same as being warmed naturally. Like with a coat or a scarf, or even warm cocoa. Its cozier. The charm just feels…weird.” I finished lamely.

“You’re absolutely bonkers,” Malfoy scowled and started walking again while I trailed behind. “The most ridiculous woman...” He continued on, grumbling under his breath until a few seconds later when he bumped into someone passing by, the lady’s hands occupied with numerous bags which went flying.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” He apologized as some of the bags fell out of her grasp.  They both kneeled to pick up the items that fell and with a dazzling smile, he sent her on her way, hands politely behind his back.

His smile dropped once I’d caught up to him, “Here,” He draped a heavy, red scarf around me.

“Did you – did you just _steal_ that woman’s scarf?!”

“Of _course_ not. I simply found it while I was helping her with her bags.” He shook his head and looked at me like I should be ashamed of myself for suggesting something so ludicrous. He started walking again and I caught up after I my initial shock subsided.

“You do realize I’m an auror, right? And that stealing is illegal?”

“Why are you telling me things I already know?”

“You know why! I should arrest you!”

He considered the prospect, “Did you see me steal the scarf?”

“Well…no.”

“Is anyone else accusing me of stealing a scarf?” He gestured around us where the bustling people paid us no mind.

 _“No.”_ I growled.

“And I maintain that I found a scarf as if by miracle right after you complained about being cold. _So, take the damn scarf, Granger.”_

I had half a mind to throw it on the ground and storm away, but I was freezing and it was plush. I wrapped it around my neck and stalked forward.

Had Draco Malfoy really just stolen a scarf for me? All I said was that I was cold and I wanted something warm, and as if I had a commanded him, he had gotten something for me. I snuck a peak at him and he looked mildly annoyed, like usual.

I wonder what would happen if I demanded something? Would he bow to my whims, or was a demand more of a challenge and he would resist?

Nothing else was going on around us and I was getting bored again, so I decided to test it a couple minutes later.

“I want hot chocolate.”

That stopped him in his tracks. “Merlin, Granger. We’re not here to shop. We’re supposed to be keeping an eye for anyone making good on the threat that was called in.”

“Who’s to say we can’t do that while drinking something warm and delightful?”

“No,” He shook his head, “It’s unprofessional.”

“Says the man who just stole someone’s clothing item.”

“Says the woman who is accusing someone of stealing without any proof. Some might brand her a _liar.”_

I gasped, offended, and smacked his arm with the back of my hand.

We stood glaring at each other for a long minute before he huffed and looked away. I made a triumphant noise and instantly his eyes were pinning me down again, “We’re not getting anything done standing around like this.” He turned and walked away, and I trudged after him dismayed that not only did my experiment not work, but now I _actually_ wanted hot cocoa. I shuffled after him, eyes on the ground dejectedly.

I bumped into him as he stopped abruptly in front me. He took a step forward from the impact then glowered at me from over his shoulder. I closed my mouth, holding back my question and peeked around him.

_Oh._

He shuffled forward and reached into his pocket for some money, “One scalding hot chocolate please. Emphasis on the scalding…” He muttered the last bit too low for the stall owner to hear but I caught it.

“Is that for you to drink in front of me or for me to drink?” I wouldn’t put it past him.

His eyes lit up, “Now that you mention it, that’s an excellent idea.” He grabbed the offered drink, and took a slow, sensuous sip. Well, my experiment _was_ working, right up until I opened my mouth. “Mmm. That’s some damn good cocoa.”

“Are we done here, you git?” I tapped my foot anxiously.

His teasing look faded into bemusement, “Aren’t you going to get some?”

“I don’t have any money on me.”

“Merlin, you really are the worst.” To my surprise he turned around and dug out more money, “Give me one more.”

I couldn’t hide my grin as I took the steaming, chocolatey drink.

“What now?”

“You’re getting soft in your old age.” I poked.

He sneered, “Kingsley would have my head if I let the _famous_ Hermione Granger freeze to death because she was too…strange to use a common warming charm.”

I said nothing in reply to his cranky comment, smiling into my cup as we continued our rounds.


	13. Experiment - Part 2

We returned to our leisurely stroll, people weaving in all directions. I didn’t mind the bustle or our slow pace. There was something calming about watching life in motion, thriving even with threats abound. I snuck a peek at Malfoy. His eyes continued to scan relentlessly but his grumpy scowl was replaced with a neutral look, which for him was practically a smile.

I was surprised he seemed to be enjoying the cocoa. I don’t know why, but I’d have assumed it somehow beneath him; nothing less than the tears of children for a man like Draco Malfoy.

I almost snorted as I imagined what else was part of his “bad boy” diet: _I bet Santa’s reindeer are a holiday delicacy._

“What are you giggling about?”

“I didn’t giggle.”

He shot me a dubious look. “You sure about that?”

I chose to ignore his comments. “What’s your favorite food?”

“What?”

“What’s your favorite thing to eat?”

“Why? Are you planning to cook me dinner in exchange for _procuring_ a scarf and a warm drink for you?” His eyes slid to me and he cocked an eyebrow suggestively.

“As if,” I made a face. “And we both know you stole that scarf.”

“Do we though?”

I ignored him. “I guess I should be thankful you paid for the drinks…”

“I don’t think you ever properly thanked me, did you?” He shot me a side glance and I could see a playful tint.

“Thank you, _partner.”_ I paused. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“What’s piqued your curiosity so suddenly?”

“I’m just making small talk, Mal –” I cut off abruptly. His last name was synonymous with arsehole but in a deeper and more personal way, and it was immensely frustrating not being able to use it. “Git,” I finished half-heartedly.

“What’s this got to do with you giggling earlier?”

“I did _not_ giggle. Why are you incapable of telling me? It’s a simple question.”

“Did you ever consider that I would provide an answer when you did?”

“Jesus, it’s not some elaborate scheme.” I was fed up with him, as usual. “Do you even realize you’ve responded to me with a question every time?” I glanced at him and he looked pleased with himself. “Of course, you do.”

I trudged forward sourly. I tried to make small conversation with the most irritating and closed-off man on the planet and he’d shut me down with a smug look. I’d hoped we would start to progress forward. He’d said he wasn’t the same person as I’d known growing up and while he no longer made comments about my heritage or muggles in general, I had yet to meet the new him. I’d seen glints and specks, like when he’d apologized, but I wanted to see more, much to my own shock.

“It’s fairy floss.” His low voice startled me out my reverie. His drink had vanished and his hands were shoved deep into his pockets. I suspected more from vulnerability than cold.

“Fairy floss?” I confirmed.

He nodded, still looking rather uncomfortable. “I have a major sweet tooth.”

I smiled hesitantly, trying not to spook him. “But why that? I mean why not biscuits or fudge or something?”

“It’s a delicacy – don’t laugh!” He admonished with a genuine smile of his own when I couldn’t contain myself.

“A delicacy?! It’s a cheap, effortless to make, children’s treat!”

“Exactly! Growing up in the Malfoy household meant no so-called ‘children’s treats’, _especially_ the inexpensive ones. It’s not that it’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted, but I associate it with moments of childhood bliss.”

“I know exactly what you mean. Well, not _exactly,_ but I wasn’t allowed sweet treats growing up. My parents were dentists and did their best to keep me away from tooth-rotting foods. Any time I was over at a friend’s house playing during the summer break, I’d raid their kitchen for sugary items.”

He frowned, looking mildly concerned. “Tooth-rotting?”

“Sugary foods promote an environment perfect for –” I paused. Wizards weren’t well-versed in microbes and that was not a subject I felt qualified to explain, so I simplified it. “– damaging teeth.”

“Merlin,” he breathed. “I’m all of the sudden more grateful my parents restricted my diet. Is that common knowledge in the muggle world or something only dentists know?”

I was surprised at his interest but I liked that he was opening up and was even comfortable enough to ask me questions regarding the muggle world. “It’s becoming common knowledge because dentists are warning people when they visit for their check-ups. Wait. Do you know what a dentist is?”

“They’re like teeth healers, right?”

“Basically, yes. How’d you know that? Most inhabitants of the wizarding world have no idea what they are when I bring it up.”

“I, uh, spent some time in the muggle world. Not much, I just popped in sometimes.”

“But…why?”

“Partially out of curiosity,” He hesitated, his internal struggle clear as day on his face. “And partially because no one knew me there. The only people who didn’t want anything from me, who didn’t despise me, were the people I grew up despising, ironically enough. I reveled in the peace that came with anonymity and the experience of seeing another world.”

“Well, what’d you think of it?”

“I imagine I felt similar to how you did when you first saw the wizarding world – overwhelmed. I still don’t understand most muggle things but I know enough to survive there.”

“Were you planning on there being such a need?”

After talking to him without his controlled expressions, it was beginning to be easy for me to see when it returned; “Of course not. I was just trying to convey my level of knowledge and comfortability.”

I let his likely untruthful words slide. “When were you last there?”

“Years.”

His body language had shifted and I knew that was all that I would get out of him today. I was still pleased at our baby steps. Maybe working together wouldn’t be so horrible after all.


	14. Welcome Home

_Draco_

 

I sat alone in my study staring at the spot where Leo's body once lay. It had long since been removed and the dent in the wall repaired, but I could still see my associate's form sprawled across the paneled floor. While Leo was a questionable man at best, he didn't deserve to die, and I certainly wasn't worthy enough to decide. Yet, however unintentionally, I had. And I still hadn’t told my mother.

How do you tell the woman who raised you that you ended someone's life? She had experienced more than a lifetime's worth of death and destruction, and she had tried her best to keep me out of it. My father's hand had always seemed stronger, though. I could already see the disappointment in her eyes when  _and if_  I told her. She would blame herself for failing me, for thinking Lucius succeeded in bringing out the darkness in me, even if it was just an accident.

Maybe if I told her everything she would understand, but I was far too cowardly to do that.

After the war, shed immediately moved to one of our other homes in France. I wanted to tell her about supporting the Order, about helping testify against the death eaters but I wasn’t sure how well she'd take it. As much as my mother hated the Dark Lord and the death eaters that had invaded her home and her life, she was still very much a pureblood woman.

A  _pop_  brought me out of my thoughts as a house elf appeared.

"Mistress has arrived in the foyer."

I muttered a thanks and exited my study. As I got closer, I could hear her soft voice asking a house elf to bring her things to her room. When I rounded the corner my eyes immediately landed on the large stack of trunks behind her.

"Mother!” I stopped in my tracks, aghast, “What is all this stuff?"

She turned around, a smile lit her face and she approached me with her arms out. I returned her hug fiercely, not realizing how much I’d missed her these last few months.

She pulled away slightly, one hand resting my cheek, "How have you been, Draco?"

"Fine, mother." I responded softly before eyeing the numerous trunks, "What's with all the luggage?"

She released me and took a step back, "I'm moving back in. After all, it is _my_ house."

I blinked in surprise. I wasn’t prepared for a permanent resident. Usually I cleared my schedule for the days she visited, not wanting her to meet Leo or start asking questions about my comings and goings. "It'll be nice to have some company again,” I said.

"Still no lady in your life, then?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. She'd been here less than a minute. "No mother, not yet."

She patted my cheek roughly, "Well, we'll just have to work on that," then strolled toward the gardens.

I followed a second later, cursing myself for walking right into that conversation and reluctantly I followed her.

"What have you done to my plants, Draco?" She stared in horror at the dead foliage before her.

"I've been busy, mother. I don’t have time to waste on your pet projects."

Her delicate face twisted into a scowl, "I'll start on them tomorrow. And _you_ can help me since its _you're_ fault they look so atrocious."

That was the absolute last thing I wanted to do. As prissy as my mother was, she loved spending all day out in the gardens with the plants, digging around with her hands and using what might be considered 'muggle' techniques instead of magic. I on the other hand, absolutely detested it. Working all day, getting dirt stuck under my nails for things that would likely die a few weeks later. What a bloody waste of time. But if it made Mother happy and kept her from nosing around…

"A letter for Master has arrived."

I snatched the envelope from the house elf, eager for an excuse to get away.

Mother watched as I read through Kingsley's message.

"Anything important?"

"It's nothing," I reassured, stepping forward and placing a kiss on her temple, "I just need to stop by the Ministry. I should be back in time for dinner, I’ll send you a message otherwise."

I walked back into the Manor and tossed the note into the first fireplace I came across, then disapparated to Kingsley's office.

It had been just shy of a month since Granger accepted Kingsley’s offer to work with us. The bad blood between us had been buried for the most part but old habits die hard and we often found ourselves arguing – whether over something major like mission strategy, or something pointless like the correct way to fold a paper airplane. Most of the time the jabs and jokes lacked malice, but we’d each crossed the line a few times, and it would take a day or two to get over it. It was a rough transition from mortal enemies to partners, but we were getting there. I wasn’t sure who it was harder for: me to open up and not act like a defensive arse, or her to be friendly to someone who made her formative years hell?

"What's going on?" I asked as I entered the Minister's office, settling down in one of the chairs.

Granger barged in before Kingsley could get a word out, "I'm so sorry I'm late! Teddy was in a right mood!" She brushed back her wild hair and collapsed into the other chair.

"Relax, Granger. You're acting like you’re late for a test."

She stuck her tongue out at me and I rolled my eyes. Kingsley sat across from us looking somewhere between worried and amused. When Granger’s and I’s tiff went no further, he seemed pleased.

“Yesterday, Chris sent Harry and Ron out a routine task, and they brought an intoxicated wizard who frequented the Portentous Grotto. He had started mumbling incoherently about Leo Carstairs which caught their attention as that is a rather high profile, open case. We let the man dry out before investigating further and learned he saw Leo just minutes leading up to the occurrence at Malfoy Manor. Along with that, he observed the man having a heated discussion with your former classmate, Theodore Nott. I'd like you two to question him and if necessary, bring him in."

I nodded and stood up trying to calm the nervousness crawling its way through my veins at seeing Theo again. I muttered a charm under my breath and my brunette disguise slowly took over. My eyes slid over to Granger, "Just remember not to call me Malfoy. You've almost blown my cover before."

She crossed her arms defensively and pursed her lips but couldn't argue, "Fine. Let's go get Nott." The brunette witch turned on her heal and strode from the room.

I jogged a bit to catch up then gently grasped her arm to slow her pace. "Let's try his family home first."

She nodded and offered her hand. I took an unsteady breath in as she closed her eyes and I apparated us to Nott Mansion.


	15. Nott Mansion

I wrapped my cardigan closer as I looked up at the structure looming overhead. Nott Mansion wasn't much different than what I remembered from the exterior of Malfoy Manor; both were menacing, dark structures that dared anyone to approach. Yet here I was, standing with my former enemy disguised as a brunette auror.

"Look, Granger. Don't be surprised if he calls you names. Last time I saw him was a year or so ago and he was lashing out at anyone around him. He's more vocal now about his…ancestors ideals now." Malfoy put gently.

"Really? He was rather neutral at Hogwarts if I remember correctly. I don't think he ever called me anything rude or even sent me a scathing look." I remarked pointedly.

"Yes, well, I think I did enough of that for the both of us."

My eyes snapped to his face warily and he avoided my gaze by promptly knocking on the door.

After nearly a month of working together, we were starting to warm up to each other. Though Malfoy was still rude sometimes and quick to irritate, he had never called me a mudblood, brought up blood status, or anything related to me being a lowly muggleborn. He tended to want to do things his way but he was finally coming around to the idea of having a partner and understanding what that meant. He _had_ apologized and told me he wouldn’t hurt me, but he still loved to push my buttons until I was one word away from slapping him. And with this latest comment, I was left again trying to believe he’d really had changed.

The massive doors swung open to reveal a timid house elf, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"Hello," I smiled, "I'm Hermione Granger and this is Jon Rogers. We're from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Is Theodore Nott home?"

The elf stepped aside to let us in, "Is Master expecting you?"

"No but it is an urgent Ministry matter."

"Please wait here."

I sat down on the leather loveseat we were led to in a room just off the main entrance. Malfoy sat down as well, rapping his fingers on his knees in anticipation. I wondered if he still kept in contact with Nott, or any of his childhood friends.

A minute later, Theodore Nott strutted into the room. He wore a stiff black suit and his expression was clear irritation. He lowered himself down on a plush armchair across from us and with a snap of his fingers a house elf appeared with a glass of liquor. With a lazy wave of his hand, he dismissed the elf then took a hearty sip.

I bristled at Nott's treatment of the magical creature and wondered if he did it on purpose. Malfoy seemed to pick up on my reaction and cleared his throat loudly. I saw the 'don't mess this up' look he shot my way causing me to purse my lips.

Nott seemed to notice the interaction and a smirk crept on his lips.

"Something you find humorous?"

"Of course not, Granger. Haven't changed much since school I see."

Malfoy stepped in before I could bite back, "You two know each other?" He asked politely, as part of the charade.

I said nothing, crossing my arms and trying not to appear hostile to the man we needed information from.

"Hogwarts," Nott supplied.

"Right... We would like to ask you some questions about a recent homicide."

"I don't think I'll be of much help."

"We’ll decide your usefulness. Where were you around four in the evening on the sixth of this month?"

"Don’t remember, I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you."

"How well do you know Draco Malfoy?" I jumped in.

Nott's expression darkened, "What of him?"

"How well do you know him?”

"I haven't spoken with him in years."

"And that last encounter, was it amiable?"

His sharp grin and burning eyes set me on edge, " _Of course._ _"_

I cast a side glance at the man next me to gauge his reaction but his expression remained neutral.

"So you didn't threaten his life when you ran into him at Gringott's six years ago? I heard it was quite the debacle." Malfoy supplied.

Nott's eyes narrowed and filled with hate. I was just glad those dark orbs were finally off me. "And how would you know that? Did little Draco Malfoy go crying to the Ministry with no mummy or daddy to turn to?" He mocked harshly.

"That's a yes then?"

"What's this regarding? I believe I have a right to know."

"There was a murder at Malfoy Manor the evening of the sixth."

Nott's eyes reflected his barely contained glee. "Oh my, what a terrible loss. Though, I'm not sure many will mourn the death of such a man. A traitor."

I sat up straighter, "Traitor?"

"Hmm? I don’t believe I said that." Nott feigned innocence and irritation, “I’d prefer if you didn’t put words in my mouth.”

“What? You literally just said ‘traitor’!”

“And who would believe someone like you?”

My pulse sped as I was getting worked up. Malfoy was right, he really did turn into a dirtbag. _“Someone like me?_ Care to elaborate on that?”

"We're not getting anywhere with him." Malfoy pushed up of the couch and noted Theo's smug look. “Let’s continue this at the Ministry. Maybe he’ll be more receptive after a night in a cell.”

"And if I refuse to comply?"


	16. Nott Mansion - Part 2

We both pulled out our wands.

"Granger, do you remember Theo-" He tripped over his old friend's nickname, "-dore Nott being a strong dueler at Hogwarts?"

I shook my head and smiled too sweetly down at the seething Slytherin.

Then, Theodore’s expression changed abruptly and he snapped his fingers. I tensed, waiting for an attack but all that happened was the appearance of the same house elf as before. “I believe our guests are thirsty. Bring them a fresh cuppa tea.” He ordered, “Sit Granger, Rogers. Please put your wands away, there’s no need to drag me to the Ministry.”

I lowered myself slowly, confused by his sudden change of heart, while Malfoy remained standing beside me.

“Draco Malfoy and I are not on good terms, alright?”

“Alright,” I responded as I watched as the house elf reappeared, handing a steaming cup of tea to Hermione while Malfoy refused the offer. “What do you know of Leo Carstairs?”

“Not much. He’s a scam artist. He sell’s shitty, overpriced magical items to suckers – like Draco Malfoy for instance.” Theodore responded, shifting in his seat.

I blinked a few times to refocus on the man in front of me, “Really? Then what were you doing with…with…” I couldn’t for the life of me remember what I wanted to ask. Something about a murder? Or a meeting?

“'With’ what?” I frowned at the sly grin forming on his face, “You’ll have to be more specific, Granger.”

I opened my mouth but I couldn’t form any coherent thoughts. I glanced to my right to see Malfoy-Rogers looking equally discombobulated. I should be worried, right? Somewhere deep down I knew I was in trouble, but I wasn’t sure why.

Theo stood up looking vicious as he approached, pulling his hand from inside his coat, his wand firmly grasped and aimed at me as I slumped back into the sofa. “I always dreamed of this day, a day of vengeance.” He regarded Malfoy for a moment who was also inept, then returned his attention to me. “It’s too bad you had to drag someone else down with you. You really should’ve thought twice before coming here, _mudblood.”_ His grin widened, “Avada K-”

I shut my eyes tightly, too dazed to defend myself. A loud  _crack_  rang through the room and I felt debris rain over me. I heard a grunt and the whiz of spells being exchanged before one final “umph” signaled it was all over and my mind cleared. The wooden coffee table was now in shattered bits scattered around the room and Nott was in a heap on the ground bound in magically strengthen ropes. My gaze drifted to where Malfoy stood, his hands clenched and his cold gaze watching his childhood friend closely.

Once Malfoy had petrified Nott with a flick of his wrist, he finally looked at me and stepped closer, “Are you okay?”

I nodded, grasping his offered hand and pulling myself upright, “What exactly just happened?”

“The tea was a distraction. As soon as his hand went to rest at a spot hidden by his jacket, he started casting a confundus charm.”

My face scrunched up, “How did you break free of it? I couldn’t do anything even when he issued the killing curse.” I shuddered thinking of what almost happened to me, looking at the state of the room now: the table blown to bits, glass shards shimmering wickedly across the floor, and the chair Theo previously occupied upended.

“I didn’t break free of it,” He wordlessly levitated Nott and began walking towards the front doors, his hands clenching and unclenching, subconsciously I presumed. “Because I wasn’t under his spell.”

“So, what, he just used it against me? I would’ve sworn you looked…confused as well.”

He continued to stalk forward, opening the doors, and loftily responded, “I’m highly skilled at occlumency, Granger. If I couldn’t protect myself from his weakarse charms, then I’d have been dead a hundred times over.”

He must’ve noticed my expression and he stopped outside just past the threshold, Theodore still floating, petrified behind him. “It’s called  _acting_. I was  _acting_  along, hoping he would divulge more information.” He looked at me like I was a five year old having trouble with a basic concept – one of his favorite looks, I was beginning to learn – and boy did it make me want to hit him.

“Ah.” Was all I said though.

“Ah?”

I nodded, half-shrugged to myself, then slapped him across the face. Theo’s floating body dipped a little as Malfoy’s concentration was interrupted, though he didn’t drop him much to my chagrin.

He cupped his cheek, his shock slowly turning to anger. “What the bleeding hell was that about?!”

“He shot the killing curse at me, you dolt! I almost died!”

 _“Almost_  being the key word! You're welcome for saving your life, by the way! You can bet I’m already starting to regret it!”

“What information did you glean from letting the situation escalate?” Fury colored my voice – fury at Nott for trying to kill me, at Malfoy for almost letting it happen, and most of all, at myself for not recognizing Nott’s distraction and allowing myself to be so open for an attack. It’d been a long time since I’d almost died, and I didn’t miss the prickling panic and shock that spread through my veins and across my skin.

“We learned he wanted revenge on you! Whatever _you_ did,” He pointed fiercely at my chest, “it was enough to make him murderous. So, Granger, what'd you do to him?”

I huffed, too upset about almost being murdered and unable to deal with Malfoy's attitude to bicker any longer. Without another word I apparated to the Ministry, trusting he would follow.

Once we dropped Nott off, I spoke again, “Next time  _you_  get to put your neck on the line. We'll see how you feel then.”

He smirked his eyes alight at my threat, though he looked weary, “That hardly seems fair as I’m the one who can defend himself from mind-based magical attacks. Learn occlumency, then we’ll talk.”

“It’s like you  _want_  me to hit you again.”

He did raise a good point, though I wasn’t going to tell him that. If his ego got any bigger, his head would explode.

“I dare you to try it again, Granger.” His tone suggested anything but, and I got the feeling he would be better prepared for another attempt.

 

Together we headed to Chris's office who welcomed us in, gesturing to the seats across from him.

"Ms. Granger, and Mr…?" He trailed off.

I was about to reveal Malfoy’s true name when I saw his Eklund façade fade from the Rogers one.

"Mr. Eklund! What a surprise! What can I do for you two?"

"As you know I've been working for Kingsley, er, the Minister. We've brought in Theodore Nott whom we suspect was involved with Leo Carstairs and the incident that recently occurred at Malfoy Manor." Chris nodded for me to continue. "He has a clear hatred of Malfoy including threatening his life the last time they met and then referring to him as a traitor. He refused to tell us his whereabouts that evening and implied we were trying to put words in his mouth. He then cast the confundus charm on us.” I paused, “Eklund managed to deflect the killing curse that the suspect aimed at me before capturing him. We’ve got Nott locked in one of the interrogation rooms and Geoff is processing his wand.”

Chris regarded us thoughtfully, “I think at this point we can skip the formalities and go straight to the last resort. He assaulted you both, attempted to murder an auror with an unforgivable, and is a suspect in another case. I think we’re well justified.”

"You want to use veritaserum?” I clarified, “Are you sure? You know how controversial it is..."

"I know, I know. But I’m confident I can get Kingsley to sign off on it. Let me talk to him and then I'll find you two in a bit."

"Thank you, sir." I amended before Malfoy and I exited. We stood awkwardly in the hall, not sure where to go, when I suggested we wait it out in my office.


	17. Breaking Old Habits

_Draco_

 

"So," Granger started after a few very long, very silent minutes. The only other words that had been spoken since we arrived in her office was my 'finite incantatem' as I sat down. "Did Nott really threaten you last time you saw him?"

"No, I just thought it might be entertaining to accuse him of such a thing."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't tell, was that sarcasm?"

I rolled my eyes, "Oh please, you're one to talk. The amount of times I heard you use sarcasm and irony at Hogwarts and it go right over Potter and Weasley's heads…it was pathetic, really."

"Eavesdropping, were you?" There was an edge in her voice though she tried to sound conversational.

"Well, for a while, it was my job." I yawned and lounged back in the chair, beginning to feel the effects of maintaining my occlumency defenses at such a high level as well as briefly dueling with Theo. It had been a while since I'd used wandless magic to such a degree. The last time I did was about a month ago, and a man had ended up dead. And before that, not for years.

Something about being exhausted made me rather open and I couldn’t care less at the moment. If answering her questions would shut her up and let me rest my eyes, I was all for it.

“When did that start?” Her quick breathing was audible in the otherwise silent atmosphere.

I smiled wryly, “From the first day Harry Potter attended Hogwarts.”

“Oh," She commented quietly, "That sounds exhausting for a child.”

“You have no idea. You lot had  _the_  driest conversations in the history of Hogwarts.” I snorted, too tired to throw up my usual demeanor that kept the space between us, “Always talking about how mean Snape was during Potions, or what the Weasel Clan was up to, or something vague Dumbledore said.”

“We talked about you too, you know.”

I leaned my head back and threw an arm over my eyes to block out the light. “Oh, I know. Merlin, Potter was obsessed with me.”

“He was convinced you were a death eater during sixth year…” She responded. I could feel the weight of her intense gaze even if I couldn’t see it.

“Good instincts, that one.”

“You were youngest in history…”

My arm dropped and my eyes fluttered open to meet hers. I quirked an eyebrow but said nothing. She was getting at something and I was in no rush to answer her inquiries.

“How exactly did you go from bold, new recruit to Dumbledore's spy?” She finally asked.

I hesitated. There was a long and shaky history between the two of us. In all honesty I hadn’t given her a second thought in years, having too much to deal with between being Draco Malfoy and Mr. Eklund, all while trying to piece myself back together following the war. One does not recover from mental and physical abuse in the blink of an eye. It comes in bits and moments over years, and all without friends or family to help me through it. The only person to come close was Kingsley. Both he and Dumbledore trusted me at a crucial time and showed me what good I could do after a lifetime of inflicting and enduring pain. And after getting a taste of good by aiding the Order, I jumped at the chance to prove myself with the Ministry.

But now I had to decide, would I prove myself to my former enemy, or would I falter and fall into old habits?

My exhausted mind left me with no choice, the words came pouring out, and though I closed my eyes and tipped my head back resuming a relaxed position, I felt anything but.

"The night I let the death eaters into Hogwarts, I had a final chance to kill Dumbledore. He knew, of course, that'd I'd been trying for some time, but he also knew they were half-hearted attempts from a scared child. So he extended a lifeline. I would be his spy and in return he would ensure I escaped time in Azkaban. He also gave me a place to turn to when things became too much to deal with." I swallowed hard and looked up to meet Granger's enthralled gaze, "I knew what the Dark Lord was doing wasn't right. People were being tortured and murdered – both inside and out of my family home. Where was the good in all that pain? All over an invisible distinction in our blood that honestly doesn't make one shred of difference in ability. I mean look at you, you're a walking contradiction to their ideas: a muggleborn who is referred to as the brightest witch of our generation. It was a confusing time and I struggled for a while.”

Granger’s face showed surprise and enrapture but I couldn't gauge much else. She didn’t say anything, so I continued, "Dumbledore and Kingsley kept me out of Azkaban and actually helped persuade for a lighter sentence. They apologized for not being able to keep me from punishment as a whole, but besides the fact that it might be a little suspicious if I got off scot-free, I deserved it. It took me far too long to realize…" I trailed off playing through the long list of dark deeds I’d committed. "Mr. Eklund was a disguise the three of us agreed for me to use when giving testimonials as a way to protect myself on the off chance that the testimony ever leaked and the redactions removed. If the death eaters knew all the information and evidence I was giving to the Ministry, they'd have my head.

After the trials I was prepared to live the next ten years confined to the manor, but Kingsley approached me with a new offer. As Draco Malfoy I would continue to be a part of the darker world to keep up appearances, and eventually I started buying up dangerous artifacts and handing them over to the Ministry. But I only deal – I  _used_  to only deal with Leo. He would find products for me to buy. It wasn't a good way to get information, though, and I was going stir crazy, so Kingsley suggested I make some contacts as Mr. Eklund and then pass anything of importance to him and Chris. And that's basically it."

Granger said nothing, still processing the information and when a knock sounded at the door. She popped up to open it as I wordlessly turned back into Eklund.

"Chris, come in," She stepped aside to allow him into the room.

"I talked to Kingsley and he’ll need to get some higher-ups to sign off tomorrow morning."

“Ok, let us know when you get more details.” Granger responded.

“Of course. Oh – if you have some time today, Hermione, I have a couple of assignments we could use your help on. Meet me in the tactical advancement room in -” he glanced down at his watch, “ten minutes?”

“Sure thing.”

“Great, thanks.” He replied, shooting a wave at me before slipping out of the room.

“Oh! I hope that’s alright? We don’t have anything else planned, do we?”

I shook my head, “No, but I’m going to pick through some of the incoming reports coming in, see if anything sticks out. Kingsley reserved a small conference room near his office for me to use for the next week or two. It’s room 278 I believe.” I paused then smirked, “Now you can send me internal memos and I’ll actually get them, though just put the room number on them and not my name...”

She rolled her eyes but nodded. “I’m not sure what I’ll be working on or for how long, but I’ll try and stop by.”

“Not a big deal, don’t stress over it.”

“Um, have you met me?”

“Touché,” I chuckled and sauntered out the door, “See you around, Granger.”


	18. Closer

To say it’d been a long day would be a severe understatement, and it wasn’t even over yet. I never responded to Malfoy’s confession after we brought Nott in and I wanted to address this before it was too late and it became an awkward bubble growing between us. I wasn’t sure what to say though.

 _I forgive you?_ Did I? I’d have to figure out what I was going to do soon though, since I’d arrived outside his temporary office. I rapped my knuckles against the wooden door and waited. Nothing happened, no sounds, nothing. I tried again.

I reached for the door handle and yelped when it shocked me, ripping my hand away. I glared at it, confused as to what just happened when the door unlocked and opened just a tad. I pushed it open, closing it behind me once I stepped into the room.

A small rectangular table took up most of the room, surrounded by a half-dozen chairs. The overhead lights were off in the room but two lamps were lit along the far wall as if standing guard over the slumped figure that lounged in a seat at the head of the table.

His pale hair glinted warmly in the light, though I couldn’t see his face since the light was coming from behind him. “Malfoy?” I called softly. No response. I edged closer, my attention straying to skim over the documents laid out in front of him: missing persons reports, cases of break-ins and thefts, the dead-ends from the stolen trial evidence and documents.

Malfoy groaned, the sudden noise causing me to jump and my pulse to accelerate. I toed closer until I stood beside him where I could hear his ravaged breathing and see the way his face contorted with pain or fear. He grunted and twitched in his sleep.

 _“Malfoy,”_ I hissed, _“wake up.”_

I leaned forward, watching his eyes roam tirelessly beneath their lids as he made a choked noise.

 _“Malfoy,”_ I tried again in a slightly louder voice to no avail.

I reached out hesitantly and poked him in the shoulder. His eyes flashed open instantly and he lunged at me. He’d trapped me roughly against the wall with a forearm against my throat before I could even process what was happening. His wand was clutched in his other hand, aimed at my face, and he looked at me, unseeing.

I could hear our loud, frantic breathes echoing in the room and I could feel his equally racing pulse as he pressed against me. He blinked a few times, squinting as his grey eyes finally seemed to focus on me. _“Granger?”_ He sounded out of breath and confused to see me, which was a valid reaction as I’d snuck into his makeshift office while he was asleep. “Oh,” he jumped back, lowering his arms, “I didn’t mean to –” he cut off, looking lost for words.

“It’s fine,” I said, rubbing my throat and watching him carefully, “I stopped by to see if you were still looking over reports. I was going to leave once I realized you were asleep but it seemed like you were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you up.”

He nodded, not meeting my gaze as he sat back down, his wand disappearing into thin air from his grasp. I watched as he ran a distressed hand through his hair. “I’m sorry about…attacking you,” he grimaced, “I’m usually a very light sleeper, so when someone _does_ sneak up on me, I assume the worst,” he trailed off, “It’s a survival instinct.”

My wariness finally tapered down as my heart rate returned to normal, and I gave him a reassuring look as I sat in the seat next to him. “I can understand that. I slept pretty light during the final years of the war, and for a couple years after.”

He nodded, finally able to meet my gaze for more than a flicker. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

I shook my head with a small smile, “It takes more than a jump attack and a shove to hurt me.” I took a deep breath, treading carefully, “What was your nightmare about?”

“The night I received the mark.”

“Oh,” I replied in an equally soft voice. I was gripped by sudden boldness spurned on by his recent openness, "I've never really gotten to see it up close..."

Amusement briefly replaced exhaustion. "Curious as ever." He nodded, more to himself, looking equally interested as to what my reaction would be. He gradually rolled up the sleeve of his left arm and held it out to me. I glanced up, his expression neutral, and I wondered if he was also nervous. Gently, I wrapped my fingers around the back of his wrist drawing his arm toward me.

I hoped my face wasn't as heated as it felt from being in such close proximity to him, my former rival. Something about the circumstance was intimate; low light in a quiet room, my legs intertwined with his. I could smell his light cologne, once again finding it distracting.

I mentally shook myself and focused on the harsh symbol that took up most of his forearm. It was a mild grey, still stark against his skin but nothing like the black it used to be. I lightly ran my thumb over it, feeling minute ridges along the outline, trying to ignore the way his breath caught at the sensation and the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

I finally looked back up to see his grey eyes watching me intensely. A hint of pink was visible on his cheeks in the dim light, and I was glad this – whatever this moment was – wasn’t one-sided.

"I always thought it would fade away completely, until nothing but a faint scar remained," I commented in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the atmosphere.

A troubled expression showed on his face. "It did. A few months ago it started to reappear. It gets darker every day."

I wondered what it was like to wake up one day and see your mark reemerging.

It was speculated that an evil group was trying to establish itself but I figured it was comprised of new members. If the dark mark was returning, then it was probably a group of death eaters, and if so, there weren’t many left wandering free. It would be a short list of suspects. Were they trying to raise Voldemort again? All his horcruxes had been destroyed so that would be impossible.

Malfoy sensed my apprehension and wrapped his hand around the one of mine that still absentmindedly gripped his forearm in surprising tenderness. He removed it an gave it a comforting squeeze. "The Dark Lord is gone for good, Granger. And the death eaters were never much more than a barely contained rabble. The only thing that controlled them was their fear of him, and no one else is as frightening."

I smiled gratefully in return, but I didn't believe it. He didn't either, he couldn't, not with the proof etched into his arm.

He tore his eyes from mine to watch a memo fly into the room. He released my hand to pluck it from the air and pulled it open, scanning its contents. “It’s from Kingsley. We meet tomorrow to interrogate Theo.”

“Right. I should probably go.” He nodded in response looking like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t, so I offered a nervous smile before walking to the door. Which reminded me… “Is your door going to shock me when I leave?”

He chuckled and shook his head, “No. It was identifying you. Only you and Kingsley have clearance to enter this room. That way I can be me and not worry about just anyone barging in. Though, maybe I should take precautions to stop you for barging in…”

 “You could try,” I challenged.

He rolled his eyes, amused, but when they landed back on me, there was something new underlying his expression, “Don’t tempt me.”

I was playing with fire and I knew I was bound to get burned, but I couldn’t help myself. I threw a coy smirk over my shoulder as I left, quietly shutting the door behind me.


	19. Sins of the Father

_Draco_

 

I stood outside of the interrogation room that held my former friend, Theo. I leaned nonchalantly against the wall, projecting an air of calmness. Inside I was anxious – anxious about learning if Theo was really involved in Leo’s attempt to murder me, and anxious about opening up to Hermione Granger twice yesterday. We’d reconnected only a month or so ago following a decade of despising each other. Though I realized my childhood dislike of her stemmed out of frustration; I was told muggleborns were beneath me in every aspect, but she was better than me an almost every way; she was smarter, stronger, and far more honest and compassionate than I could ever hope to be. And she wasn't hard on the eyes to boot.

Who was I in comparison? A caustic coward with a guarded outlook on life. Though, I too was not hard on the eyes. _Maybe I should add conceited to the list._

I watched Granger pace back and forth along the hallway in front of me lost in her own world, her brows furrowed deep in thought and a few wisps of her hair escaping the clip. She was so focused that she nearly collided with Kingsley as he approached. She blushed and muttered a quiet apology to the Minister who looked bemused. She stuck her tongue out at me when she noticed my lingering gaze and the smile that tugged at my lips.

"Mr. Rogers, Ms. Granger; here's the veritaserum." He conjured a disposable cup filled with a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid. "As it works best on those unsuspecting, present it as a cup of water. He's unlikely to trust us, so I'd recommend leaving him alone with it for a little while, until he lowers his guard and drinks it."

I nodded and grabbed the drink, "I'll bring it in there."

I pushed open the door. Theo sat stonily in one of the chairs in the room, his arms folded defensively and his expression bitter. He glanced up when he noticed my presence. "Finally! Care to move this along?"

I looked down at him and carelessly set the cup on the table. "It'll be a little while longer. Might want to make yourself comfortable." And with that I swept from the room, closing the door tightly. "What do you think, ten-fifteen minutes maybe?"

"You think it'll take him fifteen minutes to drink it?!" Granger exclaimed in disbelief.

"What was it the Sorting Hat called us Slytherins? Quick to trust?"

She pursed her lips but refrained from responding and I smirked triumphantly.

We stood around silently for ten long minutes before Theo took a few hearty sips from the cup. We waited another few minutes to ensure the potion’s affects had set in before Granger opened the door and I followed behind. Kingsley waited in another area outside the room where he was able to listen, watch, and interfere if needed.

"Mr. Nott, are you ready to be more helpful?" Granger asked once the door was closed and I sat beside her.

"I plan on being as unhelpful as possible!" His eyes widened as he finished his remark, then they filled with fury, "Veritaserum?!”

Granger opened up the case file and set up a quick quills. "Were you at the Portentous Grotto Thursday the sixth around four in the evening?"

He bit his lip, trying to keep quiet, but the potion was too strong, "Yes. I arrived around twenty past four."

"What was the nature of your visit?"

"I was waiting for Leo Carstairs to show up. He's the only person Draco Malfoy interacts with on a regular basis. Leo's always searching for dark artifacts for the blond bastard."

"And when you found Mr. Carstairs?"

"I told him about Malfoy giving the artifacts to the Ministry. He was buying dark items only to hand them to over for destruction. His reputation was a ruse. I told Leo what he was doing. You see, it's bad for business if everything you sell lands in the hands of the _righteous_  Ministry. I told him he needed to take care of it or I'd spread the word about his business."

"Was he receptive to your threat?"

"He certainly seemed so. He was livid and left immediately to confront Malfoy. And since Malfoy is now dead, I'd say it worked."

"How'd you find out about what Malfoy was doing?"

"A letter."

"From whom? Saying what?"

"I don't know who sent it. And it said exactly what I told Leo but instead of a threat, it was phrased as an offer."

"What made you think it was it an 'offer'?"

"It instructed I could do with the information as I pleased – nothing at all, if I so chose, but it suggested it could be used to ruin Draco Malfoy."

Draco finally joined in, "Why would you want to do that?"

"It’s not him specifically, it’s his family. His father got mine locked up in Azkaban," Theo seethed, "During a fight at the Department of Mysteries, Lucius decided my father was too injured and too  _inconsequential_ , so he ordered the other death eaters to leave him behind. Because of that he was arrested and thrown in Azkaban." His gaze slid to Hermione who shuddered at the unbridled hate shimmering in his eyes, "And it was  _your_  stunner that left him incapacitated while thousands of prophecies fell on him."

Hermione stared back in shock, “My stunner?”

Theo growled something that sounded like “yes”.

I spoke again, keeping my voice even and strong – the exact opposite of how I felt, "Do you have any idea who would send the letter?"

Theo shook his head, "Could be anyone. The Malfoys have a lot of enemies."

I didn’t need to hear anymore, so I pushed out of my chair and left the room, Granger following and closing the door.

Kingsley walked over to me and put a comforting hand on my shoulder, "I don't know that we have enough to send him to Azkaban specifically, but we certainly have enough to send him away for quite some time.”

All I could do was nod.

I was so tired of this bullshit, of my past dragging me two feet back for every inch of improvement to my life and myself I made. In this instance it wasn't even _my_ actions. "The sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the sons." I released an exhausted sigh, "I'm going to go drink. A lot."


	20. Invitation

I watched Malfoy stalk away in his Jon Rogers disguise. Kingsley’s attention followed the retreating form with a look of worry and apprehension, and I had to admit that I was feeling the same.

I’m not sure what possessed me to say what I said next, "I'll keep him an eye on him." Sympathy and pity maybe, for someone who’s old friend desired his death and very nearly caused it. Or maybe it was interest – my life had been dull and stale lately, and now I was presented with a new version of a former classmate. Admittedly I was curious of the person he was under the cold façade he _tried_ to portray. And though we still bickered, it wasn’t out of hate and outdated ideals, but more like friendly jests.

"I'm not sure how receptive he'll be. He tends to close himself off and deal with things internally, though he seems to be opening up to you rather quickly," Kingsley’s deep voice interrupted my wandering thoughts.

I wasn’t sure what to make of his comment but I gave Kingsley a reassuring smile, “Can you let Chris know I’ll be out for the day?”

He promised to inform my other boss that I would be out on his orders and I took off to catch up with Malfoy.

Once I was close to him, I gently grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to a stop.

"I'll buy the first round?" I offered uncertainly.

He regarded me for a few long seconds before he gave the slightest nod, "I was going to drink at home, but if you'd prefer a pub somewhere?"

“No,” I wanted somewhere quiet to process the day's events, not a stuffy, disorienting pub. Also, I wanted Malfoy to be comfortable in hopes it would help him deal with the situation and be more open to my presence. He presented a snobby, prone-to-darkness surface, but as I was beginning to learn, there was far different underneath. And like any complex entity, I wanted to know more.

We arrived at the apparition point and I readily offered him my hand. He took it without hesitation, holding on tightly, and my breath caught as the world swirled out of focus.

I gasped at the room we landed in, letting go of Malfoy's hand to gingerly step forward. It wasn't a particularly large room, about the size of his study, but the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with books. A wide window sat opposite the door with a seat built into it. Plush pillows and a few folded-up blankets took up most of the window seat and I could easily envision myself curling up with a good book amongst them.

I twirled around to look at the man who had brought me here. His disguise was gone and though he looked a little worn from the day’s events his lips curved into the barest smile.

I toed the floor sheepishly, "I'm a bit predictable, huh?"

"Or you just know what you like.” He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping the room. “This is my favorite place in the manor. I used to spend most of my spare time in here."

"I can see why. It's absolutely perfect."

He walked over to a cart in the corner full of various liquors, "Any requests?"

"Anything's fine with me – except tequila!" I quickly amended, remembering my last experience with that particular vein of alcohol; it involved Ginny and me along with a few drinking games.

"I don't think I'm familiar with that one."

"It's probably best to keep it that way."

He cocked an eyebrow and called for a house elf. "Please acquire a bottle of tequila and bring it here."

The elf nodded and disappeared.

"That bottle is all for you, then,” I took a half-step back, chuckling nervously, “I'm not going anywhere near it."

"I thought you came here to drink _with_ me?"

"I did," I joined him at the cart, poking around until I spotted a bottle of elderflower wine, and snatched it. "I’ll have this!"

The elf popped back into the room, placing a bottle of tequila where the wine previously sat, then disappeared. Malfoy grabbed the new addition and picked up two whiskey glasses, walking toward the window seat.

"Hold up!" He stopped immediately at my outburst. With a resigned sigh I transfigured the two glasses into shooters, "If I'm going to be drinking that horrid stuff, it'll at least be in reasonable quantities."

A sly grin formed on his face and he sat down on the window seat, pushing the blankets away. I lowered myself next to him and took the glasses from him so he could open the bottle. He poured a generous amount into each before setting the bottle down between us. I handed one glass to him and clinked my own against it.

"Cheers," I grumbled unenthusiastically, downing the burning liquid.


	21. Invitation - Part 2

"Merlin that's harsh." He complained, his voice raspy and his face scrunched up.

"I wish I had a camera! Malfoy, the look on your face right now…" I giggled at his displeased expression.

He reached down for the tequila and poured out another round, "Draco.” He set the bottle down again, not meeting my eyes at first, "It seems silly to keep referring to each other by our surnames. We're not in school anymore, and we certainly aren't the same people. The space between us is no longer there allowing us to pretend we haven’t changed. Otherwise you wouldn't be at Malfoy Manor drinking with me." He gave me a pointed look.

My heart thudded a little faster than before, "Alright then. Hermione." I held up my glass up as a cheers, eyeing the liquid disdainfully, "Ugh. I'm going to hate myself for this in the morning."

He smirked after throwing back his drink, "Getting a little ahead of yourself aren't you. We’ve only just gotten each other’s first names."

I smacked him lightly in the arm, "Don't make me regret coming here." How strange was it that I didn’t even hesitate to joke with and playfully hit him? A month ago, the thought of teasing him – or Merlin-forbid _touching_ him – would have been repulsive and frightening.

He sobered, looking at me curiously, "Why did you?"

I slid further back on the window seat, pulling my legs up and leaning against the wall so I sat facing him, the window overlooking the expansive, green estate to my left. "I thought you might like some company."

He nodded, his attention turning to study the glass in his hands, "I didn't think that I would."

"How are you feeling?" I inquired gingerly.

He followed my example, turning to rest his back against the wall so we faced each other now, pulling one leg up toward his chest. "I'm not sure yet,” He released a deep breath and glanced out the window, “I still can't believe Theo wanted to kill you and tried to kill me twice – that I know of. All those years spent wondering what I did wrong and it turns out it wasn't actually my fault for once.” He snorted wryly, his gaze returning to me, “I knew he hated me, many do, but I never thought it was murderous. Not him. He was always the softest, focused more on school than our familys’ fucked up plans.”

"You're quite hard on yourself.”

A deep-seated sadness glimmered in his eyes, "You might be too after the mistakes I've made."

"It's not too late to turn that around. Maybe let loose a little?" I shot him a cheesy smile, trying to lighten the mood.

His frown turned into the tiniest of smiles, and I recognized the mischief glinting in his eyes, "What exactly did you have in mind, Hermione?"

It was the first time I’d heard him say my name without animosity and instead with warmth. Combined with the alcohol, it sent a delightful shiver down my spine, "Get your mind out of the gutter." I chided with a roll of my eyes.

The pressure of his silvery gaze combined with that half-quirk of his lips was too much for me to handle. I popped out of the window seat to scan through the books, still feeling the weight of his attention as I sifted through the rows and rows of titles. One stuck out at me and I pulled it off the shelf with a chuckle. _"The Lusty Argonian Maid’*?_ My, my, Draco Malfoy what scandalous books you read!”

"They – they're not all mine!" He spluttered.

"Oooh, I'm going to tell everyone about what kind of library you keep," I teased, folding over with laughter.

From the corner of my eye I saw him fly out of his seat, trying to appear serious, "Hand it over now, Granger!" His stern tone was far from convincing.

"Ooh, we're back to Granger, are we?" I moved the book behind me, staring up at him with a defiant grin. "I’ll give it back to you…once you say the magic wor –"

I shrieked as he lunged toward me and I danced out of his reach, but it caused me to laugh again so I was ill-prepared for his next attempt. In a split second, his arms wrapped around me as I held the book away. I tried to wriggle free but he only held me tighter. I felt his hands searching for the text as he grumbled under his breath. I knew my face was flushed, partly from laughing so hard and partly from the contact. I didn't realize how much I missed having someone to banter with. Someone to fall into a fit of laughter with.

His book-seeking hands started to slow until they rested gingerly on my lower back, giving up their quest. As much as I wanted to deny it, I relished the pressure of my body pulled tight against his. I lifted my head smiling up him, noting his glow of amusement and not for the first time thinking how attractive he was when he genuinely smiled.

"What is with all the ruckus – oh! I didn't realize you had company," The Lady of the House interrupted, pleasantly surprised to see that maybe her son wasn't as lonely as she presumed. She was turning to leave when she recognized who it was encased in her son's arms, _"Hermione Granger?"_

Draco snatched the book from my hand while I was distracted then promptly released me.

I blinked at the petite woman stood in the doorway. "Mrs. Malfoy," I squeaked, embarrassed. I smoothed down the front of my shirt and brushed my hair back, willing my face to turn back to its usual, not-so-red color.

Shock gave way to a polite smile, "Call me Narcissa, dear."

"Uh, Hermione." I was grateful that my voice had returned to its normal pitch.

"Will you be staying for lunch? I was on my way to tell Draco it was ready."

I glanced back to my partner. His expression was still open, nothing like the cold ire he sometimes still tried to portray. I turned her attention back to Narcissa and released a shaky breath, "Sure, why not?" It was probably a stupid idea, but I was tired of being careful and avoiding risks. I was ready for a little intrigue and excitement in my life.

Narcissa beamed and clapped her hands together, "I'll have another place set. You two can join when you're ready."

Apprehension and embarrassment settled in as the matriarch left, but it dissipated when I saw Draco's lips curl into a faint smile. He cleared his throat self-consciously when he realized I’d caught him staring and he offered his arm, "Let's go eat. All that wrestling made me hungry."

"Don't think I've forgotten about that book." I bumped his shoulder and taunted in return. 

"Oh, come on!" He groaned in mock aggravation but I saw the warmth in his expression. It likely reflected the same in mine as I held onto his arm more tightly.

What an odd day this was turning out to be.


	22. Disturb the Peace

Between the light-hearted quips, I was taking in my surroundings as we strolled to dinner. This was a different hall than the one I’d used to get to Draco's study from the foyer when I was here weeks ago. This hall was much more welcoming with its brilliant blue walls and numerous windows draped with light, white curtains. On the wall opposite the windows were beautiful landscape scenes framed and hung periodically.

I slowed in front of a picture of a lake. The trees around the lake were just starting to turn shades of red, orange, and yellow. The mountain behind the lake was snowcapped and I could almost feel the brisk breeze that rustled the foliage. A dock strutted into the water with a few chairs and a fire pit, bobbing gently. It looked absolutely idyllic.

Draco tugged me closer to the picture when he noticed my interest. "That's in Switzerland. We have a handful of family cabins around that lake. Haven't been to that one since I was a child, though. We used to go every year."

"It's beautiful.”

He nodded in agreement and continued escorting me to the dining room.

When we arrived Narcissa sat near the center of the large rectangular table. Draco pulled out a chair across his mother for me. I smiled timidly at the lady of the house who returned with a polite smile. Once Draco was seated beside me, bowls appeared before us, as did an assortment of breads and cheeses.

"I hope French onion soup is alright. It's my favorite dish and I always request it when I return after I've been away."

My lips curled up in relief, "It's one of my favorites as well."

Narcissa’s eyes twinkled, "It was meant to be!"

From the corner of my eye I saw Draco send a warning glare at his mother, recognizing the look and the undertone to her words.

He quickly diverted the conversation, "What finally brought you home, Mother?”

"Oh, enough was enough. I've been away too long and it's time for me to move on. And of course, I missed you. Though I had hoped more would've changed since my last visit. At least you finally found yourself a lady friend." I looked up sharply before casting a pointed glance at Draco whose cheeks were pinkening. Narcissa continued on, not noticing the shift. "Maybe there's hope for grandchildren after all!"

I choked on my soup.

"Mother!" Draco exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "We're not together! For the record this is her first time here."

"Well, actually I've been here before." I pointed out.

"Of course, how could I be so insensitive." Narcissa said softly, pressing her hand to her chest. "I had that room, among others, renovated before I left for our cottage in France as a sort of...cleansing process. We’re so sorry about what you underwent while under our roof all those years ago."

"Oh," I uttered, not expecting an apology from one of the most outspoken purebloods I’ve ever met. "Thank you. I forgave you a long time ago, though, after Harry told me how you helped him in the Forbidden Forest. I was actually talking about being here a few weeks ago, for, well, you know..."

"No, I don't know." Narcissa responded, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at her son, whose eyes then slid to me with a scowl. I avoided his gaze by focusing on my soup, understanding that I had just said something wrong. “Do tell, darling,” Narcissa pressured her son.

"There was a complication with a colleague of mine, Leo Carstairs, and the aurors were required to stop by." He ground out.

Narcissa cocked an eyebrow, waiting for more than the expertly vague response he offered.

He sighed and set his spoon down. "It was self-defense." Her eyes flashed with anger and trepidation. "But why don’t we discuss this later, Mother?  _Including_  what happened in the Forbidden Forest."

She gave one sharp nod and schooled her face back into a polite smile, her tone soft again, “Of course, darling.”

The rest of dinner was cordial and filled with aimless small talk, but the tension between mother and son was obvious. It was apparent now that they were both hiding things from each other.

Much to my relief the meal ended shortly after and once I’d thanked Narcissa for the meal Draco escorted me to the foyer. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes forward. I knew he was upset and I did feel a little guilty for causing the animosity between them – especially since Narcissa had only just returned home, but they were ultimately responsible for keeping things to themselves leading to this situation in the first place.

Draco nodded a stiff goodbye as I stepped into the fireplace, his body taut as he watched me disappear into the flames with mixed emotion in his eyes.


	23. Honesty

_Draco_

 

I left the foyer once Hermione was gone, mentally cursing her for dredging up something I’d spent gregarious amounts of time and money keeping out of the papers and thus from my mother. When I returned to the dining room it was empty, but I knew better than to think this confrontation was over before it had even begun. I stalked to the drawing room where I found her sitting in her favorite chair sipping brandy. She watched me cross the room and sit in the seat next to hers, the one that father used to habit.

"What happened in the Forbidden Forest?" I asked in a quiet but forceful voice.

She looked as if she was going to refuse and divert the attention back to me, but eventually she relented, "It was back during the war. Harry Potter came to the Forbidden Forest after the Dark Lord demanded the school and the Order hand him over. He showed up willingly and put up no defense as the Dark Lord cast the killing curse. After it struck, I was tasked with ensuring he was dead. But he wasn't, and I saw an opportunity. I asked him if you were still alive and when he motioned 'yes' I knew then that the only way to keep you safe - _to_ k _eep you alive_ \- was for Harry Potter to end it once and for all. I told the Dark Lord he was dead. You can figure out the rest, you were in the courtyard."

I stared slack jawed at my mother. She was a strong woman no doubt, but never could I have imagined her defying the Dark Lord. "You're the reason the Dark Lord was vanquished."

She looked defensive. "Yes, well, you are much more important than the Dark Lord and his agenda. I'll have you know the rest of the wizarding world pays no mind to blood status and they seem to be functioning quite well. Better than us at least: they didn't just suffer a civil war. Maybe you should take mind."

I blinked, not believing what I was hearing. Mother was as prissy and snobby as they came, granted that was years ago when I knew her, when she still lived in the same home. Whenever she visited, we kept to easy topics, never talking about the war or society or how we’ve both apparently changed. I felt more at ease on the information I was about to drop on her; "I worked for the Order."

I explained how I came to assist them after Dumbledore flipped me following another failed assassination attempt. "After that, Kingsley offered me a position as an informant and I've been working for him ever since, feeding him information. The 'job' of mine you hate? Those dark artifacts are turned over to the Ministry. Leo found out and confronted me. In an act of self-defense, I killed him."

She processed this for a moment behind an indifferent expression. "I applaud you for keeping it out of the papers. A murder is the last thing we need." Her eyes lit with a fiercely protective look, "How did he find out?" She was no doubt searching for loose ends.

"Someone lettered Theo and told him. He found Leo knowing that he was my main connection to the outside world and prodded him into action. We didn't get much from Theo even with veritaserum. He doesn’t know who sent the information but he decided to use it for revenge as the letter suggested."

"Revenge?"

"Father ordered Nott Sr. to be left behind during the fight at the Ministry for the prophecy. This led to his incarceration in Azkaban."

"Really? Well, what are you doing next? Someone seems to have it out for you, darling."

"We'll try and track the letter but otherwise there's not much we can do, but I'll speak with Kingsley tomorrow morning about it."

"Good."

We both relaxed, feeling the weight of years of secrets finally being released.

Mother smiled into her drink, "How does Ms. Granger factor in, again?"

"Ever the nosy one, she figured out who I was while I was working and practically blew my cover.”

“Must not be a good disguise.”

“Don’t worry, it is.” I frowned but my words were tinged with fondness thinking of the bushy-haired know-it-all, “No one else can get under my skin quite like Hermione Granger can. A few choice words from her and it was like she commanded a response from me, one reminiscent from our school days. Anyways, Kingsley included her into our recent work. I'm not sure how much you've heard, but there's been an uptick in homicides and dark deeds. No one’s sure who’s leading them or why. Maybe you should return to France for a little while?"

"I'm done running and hiding. I'm staying in _my_ _home_ with _my_ _son_." And with finality, she strutted from the room.

Worry gnawed at me. Of course Mother decided to return right after I’d been targeted and while wizarding deaths were on the rise. The manor was one of the most heavily protected structures in the world, probably the most-so on all of Britain but she wasn't likely to stay in in the manor day in and day out. And no matter how skilled a dueler she was – and she was – I'd have to urge her to tread carefully whenever she went out. Hopefully the letter was trackable, and Hermione and I could have this mess cleaned up in days instead of weeks or months.

 _Hermione_.

No longer were we Granger and Malfoy. No longer could I continue with my cold, disinterested facade after opening up to her multiple times in the last few days. To do so would be cruel for us both.

I made my way to my study, making a face at the thought of apologizing. Even with my newfound sense of morality, I detested apologies. It meant openly admitting you made a mistake.

The thought of losing my first semi-friendship made my heart race anxiously and I quickly grabbed a sheet of paper.

 

_Hermione,_

_Could we talk?_

_-D_

 

I sealed the letter and sent it off with an owl, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach at the thought of her refusal.


	24. The Crow's Nest

"I'm telling you he must've had a thing for red-heads. He singled out Ron right away, totally ignoring me. He refused to put on his clothes and leave with us, and eventually suggested a few things he wanted Ron to do to him before he ran off spouting charms and jinxes as he went. Most were harmless and there was no one else around anyways but I was too busy laughing so Ron had to chase him down.” Harry paused trying to contain his laughter, “Ron tackled him into a garden and eventually managed to wrestle him into a position to bind his wrists."

I threw my head back, laughing. I wiped a tear away, "God, I wish you had it on film!"

"If only! I might carry a Kodak with me from now on just in case something like this happens again."

"What were you guys even doing wrangling intoxicated wizards? Isn't that more the work of the patrols?"

"We’ve been so bored the last few days that we begged Chris to give us something to do and that's what he came back with. We couldn't really argue after pestering him."

I chuckled again, wishing I had been there to witness the situation. It would've been much more entertaining than the stuffy meal with the Malfoys. Though I was having a rather pleasant time before dinner…

Thankfully my cheeks were already flushed from Harry’s story as I thought of Draco's body pressed against mine, his arms around my waist, and his strangely captivating grey eyes.

Harry's distant voice brought me back and I blinked at him. "Hmm? What’d you say?"

"I asked what you did today. We stopped by your office and didn't see you. Eventually Chris told us you were busy."

"Oh, uh, not much. I ended up questioning a possible suspect in a murder case. Turns out he tried to murder an auror as well as a civilian.” Technically not a lie and Harry didn’t really need to know that I was the auror and Draco was the citizen. “Then I left work early for lunch." I hated lying but I wasn't in the mood to explain how I was nearly murdered and I especially didn't want to tell him about anything that happened at Malfoy Manor. I wasn’t allowed to tell him of my work with Kingsley and Draco anyways.

A pecking noise from the window interrupted whatever Harry was about to say or ask and I quickly popped off the couch. I opened the window and took the message, feeding a treat to the owl before it flew off.

I flipped open the parchment.

 

_Hermione,_

_Could we talk?_

_-D_

 

My pulse increased as I read the one, simple line. Draco gave no indication in his letter whether he was still upset with me or not. I bit my lip, wondering if it was a good idea to meet him. My brain said not to meet him but something else inside urged me to go.

"Everything alright?"

“Yeah.” I pocketed the piece of paper.

"Well, I should get going. Gin gets back tomorrow night. We should all have dinner this week sometime.”

"Sounds like a plan." I gave him a hug before he threw a handful of powder into the fireplace and stepped in, calling out his address.

I sat for several minutes debating what I’d write back to Draco. Should I refuse and stay home? We’d been getting along surprisingly well recently but I doubted his ire had already ceased.

Within minutes my resolve to stay away was broken down.

 

_D-_

_There's a quiet muggle pub called the Crow's Nest. Why don't we meet outside at half past sixteen?_

_-H_

 

I fed my owl a treat and sent it on its way. I took my time refreshing myself but soon I couldn't stand waiting around any longer. I slid into a light coat then bounded down the steps exiting my flat by sixteen-hundred.

The air was brisk but felt good in my lungs. Hardly ever did I take the time to walk outside anymore as I lived and worked in a world where transportation was instant. The walk was good for my mind which was busy sifting through the events of the last few days.

I picked a muggle bar on purpose, hoping it would cause him to refrain from jinxing me if he were in as fowl a mood as I predicted. I didn’t really believe he would hurt me, at least not physically. His tongue was still as sharp as ever, though.

The door was propped open to cool off the already crowded pub when I arrived. The buzz of conversations and the clink of glasses spilled outside. Not seeing Draco yet, I sat down on an empty bench out front, enjoying the peace that came with people watching.

Draco walked up a few minutes later in dark blue jeans and a pale grey pea coat. His light hair ruffled in the wind and he kept his hands warm in his pockets. I was so used to seeing him in stiff slacks and dress shirts that at first my eyes slid past him not recognizing the blond wizard. When I did finally recognize him, I was glad he was far enough away not to see my appreciative gaze traveling over his muggle-clothing clad body.

Once he reached me, I stood without a word and walked into the pub, trusting him to follow. I snagged a small table, shucking my coat and draping it over the back of a seat. Draco followed suit, revealing a black sweater and sitting across from me.

His expression was neutral, no doubt carefully crafted to give nothing away. After spending the day with him being rather open I found it especially irksome. Maybe today had been a fluke.

When he said nothing, I crossed my arms and gave him a  _get on with it_  look, starting to feel more and more anxious.

"Granger," He started. I cocked eyebrow at the use of my surname. He recanted, _"Hermione._ I wanted to talk to you."

"So you said."

At my clipped remark an irritated look flashed across his face and I was pleased to see some emotion once again, though it wasn’t necessarily the one I was hoping for. He sighed. "You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?"

"Have I ever?"

"Fair point." A faint smile of amusement replaced his scowl. "Look, I wanted to," he sighed again and looked away briefly, "apologize."

My mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. I returned my expression back to indifference; no way was I letting him off the hook so easily. "What _exactly_ are you apologizing for?"

"Your…allusion to Leo's death as well as the comment about the Forbidden Forest caused a bit of a stir at dinner. I spent a lot of effort keeping the news of Leo from the Wizarding World and my mother. In one fell swoop that peace was gone." He paused. "As it turns out the peace needed to be disturbed.

I had the most honest talk I've ever had with my mother. She never knew about my work with the Order nor what I do now. Turns out her views have mellowed during her time away. Both of us were too afraid to tell the other that we'd changed." He smiled thoughtfully at me. "Without you, we'd likely spend the rest of our lives hiding from each other. Therefore, I wanted to apologize for my rude behavior, which shouldn't have happened anyways as I was raised better than that."

"Did that physically hurt? Apologizing?"

"Only a little." He assured.

"You are forgiven.  _This time_." I added with a serious tone. One of the many reasons Ron and I didn't last was due to years of reciprocated emotional dumping. I wasn't about to allow that in a new (old?) relationship, even if it was just a friendship.

Draco nodded, "Understood." Then after a beat he smirked. "How about a drink? As I recall, you did agree to buy the first round."

I rolled my eyes playfully but left to grab us a couple of beers.


	25. First and Last

I grabbed two pints and dropped a few notes to pay for them. I grew increasingly self-conscious as I noticed Draco openly watching me weave my way back to the table with our drinks.

"What?" I snapped, placing the drinks on the table.

My irritation only broadened his smile. "I'm trying to wrap my mind around the situation: I'm sitting in a muggle pub and Hermione Granger is buying me drinks."

 _“Drink_ ," I clarified, "but I agree, it is rather odd."

"We've known each other for years, but never _really_ knew each other." He mused, taking a sip. He instantly recognized the spark in my expression as an idea formed in my head, "What do you propose,  _Granger_."

"Why don't we play never have I ever?"

"What are we? Fifth year girls?"

I frowned, mainly because his comment hit a little too close to home. "I mean, if you don't want to play…" I baited.

"I didn't say that." He huffed. " _But,_ instead of losing a point, we take a sip."

“Fine.”

"What's off limits?" He asked with a wicked grin.

He was already testing the boundaries and immediately a list popped into my head, but I'd be damned if I folded so predictably, especially to Draco Malfoy. With narrowed eyes I ignored his question, "Never have I ever cheated on a test."

He quirked an eyebrow. "You think so little of me?" He continued after I shrugged in response, _"I've_ never cheated. I've let others cheat off me but that's different."

"I disagree."

“You usually do. Never have I ever missed the Hogwarts Express.” I remained still and shrugged _too bad._ He frowned, “Didn’t you guys take a flying car or something at one year?”

“No, that was just Ron and Harry. So that’s how we’re playing, though.” In that case, "Never have I ever been punched in the face."

Draco scowled playfully and took a hearty sip. "You're one of many, darling, don't feel too special."

I never imagined I'd be captivated by his drawl and the mischievous twist of his lips and a small part of me wished he’d call me darling at least once more.

I mentally shook my head. _No. Bad Hermione._

"Never have I ever fallen asleep in the library."

I took a swig and muttered, "Not as often as you imagine, it was only a couple times a year." Then with more confident I said, "Never have I ever held a snake."

Draco froze in shock before doubling over laughing at my superior look. "What do you think I do in my spare time?"

“Steal ice cream from children? Burn down abandoned buildings? Sit in a volcanic lair surrounded by snakes? Y’know…classic bad guy stuff.”

Pure amusement warmed his face as he threw his head back and laughed even harder.

Draco eventually caught his breath and his grey eyes returned to me, a grin still on his face. "Alright," Looking around, trying to come up with another suggestion. "Never have I ever gone swimming in the ocean."

I took a sip in disbelief, "We literally live on an island!"

"Never got around to it, I guess. We spent more time at lakes."

I schooled my face into a neutral expression, trying to keep my voice even. "Never have I ever swam in a lake."

He took a sip of beer, "You never swam in a lake?" I hesitated a second too long and his eyes went wide. "She cheats like a Slytherin."

I bit my lip but couldn't hide my laugh. His shock turned to a thoughtful smile as he took another slow draw from his beer and set it back on the table.

"Never did I ever think I'd like you." He said softy.

Not trusting myself to say anything, I held up my drink. He grabbed his own glass and clinked it, and we both took long draws.

He cleared his throat as he set his drink back down and his usual smirk appeared, one I began to recognize as place holder for when he was trying to get a handle on his emotions. Ever the emotional manipulators, purebloods were, not just using someone's feelings against them but controlling their own.

I smiled lightly, treading carefully, "You really don't need to do that anymore."

"Do what?"

I put on my best over-the-top Draco Malfoy smirk and disinterested expression.

He shifted uneasily in his seat. "It's habit. Emotions are dangerous, best to keep them under control."

"There's a crock of bull if I've ever heard it."

"Spoken like someone who spent their entire life surrounded by genuine people." His tone wasn't sharp, but it had lost the softness from a minute ago.

I pursed my lips since it wasn’t an untrue statement, "That's not the point."

“That’s exactly the point. Your feelings and ambitions can easily be exploited and used against you. My father tried his best to ensure it could never happen to me, and for that I’m grateful. What many learned the hard way is that death eaters were loyal to the Dark Lord, not each other, as evidenced by my father electing to leave Nott Sr. behind. They chewed up anyone weak enough to give a glimpse into their mind.”

"Emotional handling isn't healthy. Emotions are meant to be expressed and natural, not forced and used at one’s own convenience."

He shrugged and stared into his beer. "You know what  _is_  healthy?” He looked up at me, an intensity in his eyes. “Surviving."

"But did you really survive if you came out the other side emotionally warped?"

He blinked, taken aback, and his expression hardened. "It’s late. I should be going. Thanks for the drink.” He stood and slipped into his coat. “I’ll see you at work."

I closed my eyes briefly, frustrated at myself. "That’s not –"

He was gone before I could explain or apologize, though I didn’t really blame him, I probably would’ve done the same thing if the roles were reversed and he had insinuated I had emotional issues. I sighed and sipped at the remainder of my drink, contemplating what my life had come to.


	26. And so it Begins

I glanced down at my watch as I stood outside the Minister's office. There was less than a minute left before my scheduled meeting with Kingsley and Draco. I'd been waiting for ten drawn-out minutes hoping to catch my partner so that I could apologize for last night. The last thing I meant to do was insult him, especially as he was beginning to trust me.

Brisk footsteps sounded behind me. I turned and watched a disguised Draco stalk towards me.

"Another ten seconds and you would've been late." I cringed as soon as the words came out. That was not a good way to start. He looked less than pleased but said nothing. "Wait, that's not what I –"

"It's fine." He muttered with a flash of a polite smile and strode past me right into Kingsley's office.

I trudged in after him, the door locking closed behind me.

"Good morning," the Minister welcomed.

I returned the greeting and sat in what had become my usual chair in his office.

Kingsley clasped his hands on his table and regarded us, his eyes lingering on Draco. "We were unable to trace the letter sent to Theodore Nott. We tried questioning him again but gained no new insights. He'll been transferred to Walzkups Prison following his incarceration in the following days."

"What's next?" Draco asked.

"There's not much we can do offensively. For now, you two will sift through recent reports of homicides, attempted assaults, and other miscellaneous dark acts. If something sparks your attention then you have full authority to investigate it.”

“What legal authority does Draco have? Does he have an official position within the Ministry that I haven’t heard about?” I questioned. “I guess it’s a little late to be asking…”

Draco shot me a cold look.

“Think of it like diplomatic immunity – he’s exempt from certain laws and safe from persecution.” Kingsley explained. “Is that satisfactory?”

 _Not really._ “Sure.”

Draco addressed Kingsley, "I'll review the statements at home if that’s alright. My mother just returned and I'd like to be closer to her."

"Of course. I'll leave all the reports in one of the lockboxes just outside. Melanie will have the keys and you two can pick up the documents whenever it’s convenient."

"Thank you, Minister." I said as I stood up, dismissed.

I followed Draco out of the room and over to Melanie's desk just outside the Minister's office. The brunette assistant handed us both a key and pointed to one of the boxes inlaid in the wall. We both gave our thanks as she returned to her desk.

Draco stepped closer, maneuvering the key to the lock when I grabbed his arm to stop him. His head snapped to me and he waited for an explanation.

I nervously released him. "I, uh, wanted to apologize for how last night ended." He said nothing but stood motionless, so I continued, "I didn't mean to insult you or suggest you were," I cleared my throat, “‘emotionally warped.’"

He gave one curt nod but his body language didn't change as he leaned down again with the key. My hand shot out again, wrapping around his wrist. This time he did look irritated which made me irritated as well. "I'm sorry, alright? It was an honest mistake." I crossed my arms, glaring up at him. "You can't run away every time someone says something you don’t like, you know? You're supposed to talk it out like civilized adults.”

His expression ever so slowly morphed to a small but amused grin. "Are you scolding me?"

I relaxed a little but I was still miffed. "Yes! You deserve it, you prat!”

"You're right, I shouldn’t have left," He paused, "after you started calling me names." His teasing voice had a more serious undertone conveying he understood.

I lightly smacked his arm with the back of my hand, "Git."

"Know-it-all."

"Pompous ferret."

"Buck-toothed bookworm."

"We'll be here all day.” I sighed, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “How do you suppose we do this if you're going back to the manor?"

"I mean, you  _could_  come to the manor with me."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Bringing me back there?"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" He asked, grabbing the stack of files from the lockbox.

"Because last time I was there I caused a family row."

"That was minuscule compared to much else that’s happened in that manor.”

I remained unconvinced but took his outstretched hand when we reached the apparation point.

"We'll go back to the room where we were yesterday." He suggested once we’d landed.

He opened the door when we arrived and I stepped through. A table and chairs were set up in the center of the room this time. Soft music was playing in the background and the smell of books overwhelmed me. I made my way over to one of the seats while Draco sat in the other. He halved the stack of documents, giving me one pile and keeping the other for himself.

"We'll examine the files and set anything aside that we need to check out. Tomorrow we can investigate and then the following day go through another set of papers."

I nodded, understanding the pattern, and so we delved in.


	27. An Offer You Can't Refuse

Our office was silent except for the shuffling of papers and despondent sighs as Draco and I worked through this week’s reports. The light knock on the open door caused me to jump and I twisted around in my seat to see Narcissa peeking into our makeshift office.

“How is it going?”

“Depressing as always, mother. We still can’t identify a pattern to their attacks and therefore can do absolutely fuck all to stop them.” His tone was laced with frustration and I knew exactly how he felt. It was like we were swimming against a fierce current – it was exhausting and we were getting nowhere.

“Language, Draco,” she chastised. He bowed his head slightly in apology. “I know you’ll figure it out soon; you’re two of the smartest people I know.”

“Technically, Hermione is smarter.” His grey eyes slid to me. “Why haven’t you figured it out yet, Oh Brightest Witch of our Generation?”

“Maybe I would if I didn’t have you dragging me down…” I teased back.

“Anyways,” Narcissa cut in, a small smile on her face, “I’m going out for the evening. You two should eat something, or at least take a break if you plan to work through the night.”

“The night? What time is it?” I glanced out the window to see it was pitch black out.

“Half past nineteen.” She stepped into the room to place a kiss on the top of Draco’s head before leaving us.

“I have to go! I’m already late…” I started gathering up my things and tidying up my stacks of papers.

“Ok,” he responded. I couldn’t decipher his expression. “Don’t worry about that,” his hand came down on mine to still my unsuccessful attempt to organize the files. I froze, staring down at our hands before looking to him. He withdrew his hand. “Um…I just meant that I’m going to keep working a bit longer, so there’s no point.”

“Oh. Sure.” I stumbled out. It took a second for his words to hit. “Wait, what? Draco, you heard the time. We’ve been working far too long already. You should take a break.”

“Of course. I’ll walk you out. Stretch my legs a bit.”

“That’s not a break, you dolt. That takes _maybe_ two minutes. You’re going to burn yourself out. Trust me, I would know.”

“Fair enough. I’ll grab something to eat after escort you out.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to determine if his words were sincere or just to shut me up. When I thought about it though, he would either be eating alone in an empty house or he wouldn’t eat at all. For some reason both possibilities upset me. Maybe I was a little too familiar with both situations.

“Grab your coat.”

“What?”

“Put your coat on. You’re coming with me.”

“I…don’t understand. Don’t you have plans?”

“I don’t trust you not to give yourself an aneurysm while I’m gone, so I’m taking you with me.”

“Give myself a what?”

_“Get your goddamn coat, Draco Malfoy.”_

He popped out of his seat and edged out of the room, keeping a wary eye on me. I grabbed my things and followed him out, trying to hide my pleasure of ordering around the pureblooded heir inside his own, overly-extravagant home.

Once he was ready, he stopped in front of me. “May I at least know where we’re going?”

“Dinner. With my parents.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Actually, it’s _definitely_ not a good idea.” For someone so good at hiding his true emotions, the panic was clear on his face.

“Oh please. I met your mother in your home. A place I’ve been attacked in. Voldemort’s headquarters –” he grimaced at my words, “– I think we can both agree I had to face far worse than dinner with two muggles.”

His eyes searched my face as he contemplated my words. There was no room for him to argue though. His mother and manor were far more terrifying than my parents and their suburban home could ever be. There was one hefty reason I could think of that would cause him to be so hesitant about going…

“I never told them –”

“That I made your life hell for years?” His voice hardened. “I wasn’t worried about that.”

“Good. We’re all set then?”

“What if I promise I’ll eat dinner and not work the rest of the night? We could do an unbreakable vow even?”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” he grumbled. “Well, what do I need to know? How much do they know about our world, our jobs, our history?”

“I’ve told them bits and pieces over the years but I don’t think they understand much of it. They know about my job, though it’s been a while since I’ve visited, so they don’t know about the more recent change. They don’t know anything about you. Oh.” I smirked up at him. “They absolutely adore Harry and Ron.”

“Of course they bloody do.”

“You better be nice if they come up.”

“I’ll charm your parents like no one has before.” He assured looking a little less anxious than before.

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

A grin appeared on his face and I saw the challenge in his eyes before he opened his mouth. “You don’t think I can win them over?”

I stood more defiantly. “No, I don’t.”

“One galleon says I get an invitation from them to come back before the end of the night.”

I weighed his offer. My parents were rather friendly but I didn’t see them inviting back a colleague of mine after one dinner.

“You’re on.” I shook his outstretched hand firmly. I gave him the address and he apparated us away.


	28. Dinner with the Parents

We landed on the stoop of my childhood home. While it wasn’t a manor, my parents did live in a decent-sized house with a well-manicured garden out front in a nice neighborhood.

I dropped Draco’s hand and watched as he took in his new surroundings. “Ready?” I asked after he seemed to orient himself.

He nodded and I knocked before opening the door. He followed me inside, hands deep in the pockets of his slacks, eyes darting around cautiously.

“We’re here!” I yelled out while sliding out of my coat.

“We’re in the sitting room, love!” My mum called back.

Draco removed his jacket while I dug out a bottle of wine from my purse as a “sorry for being late” gift. We hung our things up in the hall cupboard before I led him farther into the house.

My parents greeted me with a hug and a kiss before eyeing up the man beside me. Mum and dad respectively shook his hand while I set the bottle down on the counter behind me.

“And who might this be?” I could see the twinkle in mum’s expression. I should’ve known mum would read into me bringing someone home who wasn’t Harry, Ron, or Ginny.

I needed to shut that down immediately.

“This is Draco. We work together at the Ministry. We’re colleagues.” I stated as matter-of-factly as I could.

Dad looked at him warily. “And you brought him with you because…?”

To my surprise Draco spoke up. “Your daughter accused me of overworking myself and thinks I’m going to give myself a – what was?”

“An aneurysm.” I reiterated.

Dad snorted. “Must’ve been going pretty hard if _she_ thinks it’s too much.”

“I guess we’re both workaholics.” Draco said with an amused smile.  “I do hope I’m not intruding on your evening?”

“Of course not!” Mum jumped in, wrapping her arm around his and pulling him around to the sofa. I enjoyed the faint surprise on his face from her enthusiasm as she settled across from him. Dad and I followed suit, and I sat next to the blond wizard remaining a respectful distance between us.

“How long have you been working together?” Mum prodded.

“A handful of months.”

“Do you work with Harry and Ron as well?”

“I have in the past but not in the last few years, no.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Such nice boys aren’t they?”

“They truly are.” He said somehow with a straight face. “I appreciated my time with them but I must say, I do hope we don’t cross paths too often in the future.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m more of a…consultant than an auror, and I only consult when things aren’t going well.” He explained gingerly.

“That sounds like a wearing job.” Dad commented. “Do you like it?”

“Yes and no.” He answered sincerely. “It is indeed taxing but I don’t think I could go back to standing on the sideline. Besides that, I’m the best suited for the job.”

“Confident, this one!” Mum clucked.

Draco smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. As irritatingly confident as he was, I knew that wasn’t what he meant as being the man for the job.

“And how’d you come to work together?” Mum asked, motioning between the two of us.

A fond grin formed on Draco’s face. “Your daughter is rather stubborn and incredibly clever.” I tried not to take his words to heart, but they still wormed their way in. “She found out about my operation and insisted she could help, and help she has been.”

Mum and dad laughed. “You should’ve seen her as a child! Fast as a whip, this one, and didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer!”

“I tried to argue against or best her in every class we had together, and every time she put me in my place!”

While I didn’t particularly like what they were bonding over, I was glad to see my partner and parents getting along. It wasn’t long until we sat around the table for dinner. The conversation flowed easily and Draco expertly danced around questions about his family, his past, and our history while I tried not to run and hide when mum started on the embarrassing stories after dessert.

“Alright, I think you’ve had enough of this!” I joked, moving her wine out of reach.

Dad and Draco tried to stifle their laughter while mum raised an eyebrow at me. “You should be more grateful I can’t hold my liquor – otherwise we wouldn’t have you!”

 _“Mum!”_ My cheeks flushed even more and I buried my face in my hands.

Draco held his glass up, “And we’re all the better for it.”

A rumble of agreement went around the table and I reluctantly held my own glass up when they started clinking against each other’s.

“I do believe it’s nearing my bed time though.” Mum commented after a yawn.

“Oh, I’m so sorry if we’ve kept you.”

“Don’t be.” She waved Draco off. “It was a wonderful evening.”

She started collecting the dishes from the table and Draco instantly stood up and took them from her. “You made a marvelous spread of food, the least I can do is clean up.”

I started gathering up the dinnerware as well. “Yeah, mum. You and dad go to bed. We’ll tidy up then head out.”

“I can’t let my guest clean!”

“And _I_ can’t let the chef and host clean.” Draco countered.

“And _I’m_ a member of the family, so I don’t count as a guest.” I added. “Don’t be silly. I know you two need to be up early tomorrow.”

“We’ll use a little magic and be done in minutes.” Draco added with a wink.

She hesitated but finally gave in, the late hour and wine weighing on her.

She pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Don’t wait so long to visit again.”

“I won’t.” I promised.

Dad shook Draco’s hand before giving me a hug and kiss as well.

Mum pulled Draco into a hug. “It was lovely having you over tonight. You’re always welcome in the future.” She stepped back, hands gripping his arms and a stern look on her face. “Remember, there’s more to life than work. Always take time for yourself.”

“I will. Thank you for having me. I look forward to seeing you both again.”


	29. Two of a Kind

My parents trudged upstairs with a final wave of ‘goodnights’ and once they were safely tucked away in their bedroom I turned to face Draco leaning back against the counter. His small smile morphed into a smirk when he noticed my sour expression.

“I told you I’m good with parents.” He noted in a low voice.

“I’m surprised you didn’t choke every time you had to say something kind about Harry and Ron.”

“It was tough, I’m not going to lie, but it was worth it to win.”

“Hurting for money, are you?” I poked as we began cleaning the dining room and kitchen.

“Ha.” He deadpanned. “No, it’s like I said earlier – you’re better than me at nearly everything. These little moments are all I get.”

“And what things are you better than me at?” I pressed.

“For one, picking bets with odds in my favour. Secondly, impressing parents.”

“I impress parents!”

“Really? Your first meeting with my mother? Tequila on your breath, a steamy book in your hand?”

I paused what I was doing to look at him. “Who’s book was I holding?”

“Not mine!”

“Right. Silly me thinking the book in _your_ library is yours…”

“How do I know you didn’t plant the book?” He countered.

“Oh no! You’ve caught me! This has all been a ruse to add inappropriate books to your library!”

The banter continued as we cleaned, and it wasn’t long before the kitchen and dining room were sparkling. We tiptoed to the front door, grabbing our things and exiting as a quietly as possible.

We quickly pulled on our jackets, our breaths visible as puffs of steam illuminated by the streetlights.

“Do you mind if we walk for a bit?” He asked, a flicker of uncertainty on his face. I readily agreed, thinking along the same lines.

There was a solace in the silence and darkness. From the expression on Draco’s face, he needed it.

After a few minutes, I couldn’t help myself any longer. “You look like you’re thinking pretty hard.”

“Huh?” His head snapped up. “Sorry. Thanks for dragging me along tonight. I had a good time. Seems you know what’s better for me than I do.”

“You’re welcome. And I only know what’s best because we’re rather similar.”

His lips curled up wryly. “The Gryffindor Princess and Slytherin Prince similar?”

“I know, I was shocked too.”

“…Your parents were really nice.” He commented, eyes forward and down.

I bumped his shoulder with mine. “What’s on your mind?”

He sighed heavily, not meeting my eyes. “They were nothing but generous and I came into their home and spent the evening lying to them.”

“You didn’t lie to them…”

“Fine, then I omitted some pretty important details. It just…it feels like something old me would do – lie and hide.”

“Old you wouldn’t be worried about lying to a couple of muggles – muggles you might only meet once.”

A hint of mischief returned to his eyes, which I was glad to see. “I don’t know about you, but _I_ was invited back.”

I gave him a slight shove causing him to release a small laugh. The mood quickly sobered, though. He had every right to be upset. “I’m sorry I had you lie to them, I guess I’ve been doing it for so long I didn’t think twice.

I never told them much about my time at Hogwarts, about the war. Enough to explain but not many details. I was always worried they’d forbid me from returning if they heard about everything I’d been through. What sane parent would let their child go back to a school where they had been petrified by a basilisk? Or had aided an escaped prisoner from Azkaban – wrongly accused or not?”

“Or had been bullied incessantly for years due to your heritage?”

I nodded gently. “If they had known half the things that happened to me, they would’ve never let me return.”

“When you put it like that, why would you ever want to?”

“I grew up there. It’s home to me. And who’s to say bad things wouldn’t have happened to me in the muggle world?”

“You wouldn’t have been petrified by a basilisk…”

“No, but this world has its own dangers.”

I finally looked around, realizing I hadn’t been paying attention to where we were going. Thankfully, I recognized where we were. I grabbed his hand, his head snapping up, grey eyes on me as I started leading him across the street to the muggle school I attended before I went to Hogwarts. We spent the next hours on the playground, laughing as he tried to figure out how each station worked and discussing the differences and similarities of muggle and wizard schooling.

 

 

 

“Hermione,” a close voice urged at a level barely above a whisper.

I frowned at the noise and huddled closer to the warmth next to me.

 “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?” I _felt_ the warmth sigh next to me. Slightly louder, though still quieter than conversational tone, “Hermione, it’s time to get up.”

It was another minute before my eyes slowly blinked open only to be greeted by the outdoors. I rocketed upright. It was still dark out but the first warning signs of sunrise were on the horizon. I twisted around to see a sleepy Draco Malfoy looking up at me, one arm tucked behind his head, the other laid out where I had just been. Had I been using him as a pillow?

I tore my gaze from the ruffled man with effort. Memories of last night flooded in; at one point I had conjured a small blanket, the one which we were on. I must’ve fallen asleep listening as he pointed out constellations and recounted the stories behind them.

The thought caused a pulse of panic to race through me. I had not only fallen asleep outside but next to Draco Malfoy!

I shot him a sheepish smile which he returned. “Sorry to wake you but I imagine two adults probably shouldn’t be asleep in the schoolyard when the staff and kids arrive.”

“You’re probably right.” I responded in a whisper.

Once my shock had worn off, I felt a strong desire to lay back down and curl up next to him. I decided to blame it in on a lack of sleep.

Instead of fleeing, I was content just to stay there a little bit longer holding his gaze. From the look in his eyes I had a feeling he felt the same.


	30. Two Stones, One Quaffle

“You’re using magic, aren’t you?” I accused as Draco’s crumpled ball of parchment paper landed perfectly in the rubbish bin.

He shook his head, “Nope.” I gave him a skeptical look. “You’ll remember, I _was_ an athlete back in our school days.”

“Buying your way onto a team doesn’t count.” I pointed out, my paper ball landing due left of the bin.

“I’ll have you know I was a decent seeker.”

“Just not against Gryffindor.”

“I think I only played them three times…”

“Yeah and how many of those did you win?”

He scowled, his paper ball levitating back to his awaiting hand. “When did you become such a quidditch fan?”

“Oh, I’m not. I just like statistics, especially when they involve Slytherin losing.”

“Well, I’m not losing right now.”

“Former Slytherin don’t count.” I quickly amended, cursing as I missed another attempt.

“Of course not.” He sighed heavily at me, “You’re not throwing it right. Try doing this,” he moved his arm in slow motion, “instead of whatever spasm-thing you’re doing.” I pursed my lips in concentration and tried nonetheless to mimic his movements but missed again. He shook his head at me. “And you’re accusing me of being bad at sports?”

“It’s not my fault I don’t have any hand-eye coordination!”

“You’re a witch and more specifically you’re an auror – you use hand-eye coordination all the time.”

“Casting spells is a lot different than throwing a rumpled bit of parchment.” I retorted. “I should’ve learned to play catch with my dad like the other kids but I was too busy reading.”

“Yes, you should’ve.”

“What’s that supposed mean?”

His eyes flicked up and he frowned. “It means that if my father ever offered to toss a quaffle around, I would’ve jumped at the opportunity.”

“Oh.”

He gave me a long look before sinking another shot.

“Do you have one?” I inquired tentatively.

“One what?”

“A quaffle.”

“Of course I do.”

“Well, I never learned to throw, and you seem decent enough with the paper…”

“You want to toss a quaffle around? When? Right now?”

“Yes. I’d say we deserve a break.”

A dubious expression appeared on his face. “A break from what? Tossing parchment into a bin for the last twenty minutes?”

“It’s incredibly wearing, don’t you think?”

He hesitated for a breath then agreed. “The quidditch gear is outside. Bring your jumper.”

I eagerly did as he said and followed him through a maze of hallways and until we came to wall completely made of windows overlooking the back of the estate. An expanse of well-manicured green grass greeted me ringed by a dense forest, leaves fluttering in the fall breeze.

After pulling on a sweater, he opened the door, following me out onto a patio. “The storage shed is over here.”

I trailed him to the side of the manor, my steps faltering as he opened the door of a large stone structure. _“This_ is your _shed?”_

“Yes.”

“But its huge! And constructed far to nicely to be a shed! I thought it was a cottage or – or stables!”

He rolled his eyes and ducked inside. “I’ll be sure to tell my mother we need to distress the shed a bit because it looks far too good to be one.” He returned a second later, closing the intricately carved wooden door behind him, one quaffle in hand and another tucked under his arm. “And the stables are on the opposite side, not that we have any horses for it anymore.”

“Why don’t you have horses anymore?” I asked as he led us out onto the grass where a small quidditch goal was set-up.

“Fenrir Greyback.” He responded tight lipped. I shuddered at the implication. “Now do you want to discuss overly-decadent sheds and empty stables, or do you want to learn how to throw?”

“I’m ready to learn.” I assured, to which he tried – and failed – to tamper a grin. “What?”

“When is Hermione Granger _not_ ready to learn?”

“Oh, shut it.” I grumbled good-naturedly, taking the quaffle he held out to me.

“Alright,” he gripped the other quaffle in his left hand, “here’s how you hold it.”

I tried my best to mirror him. “Like this? It’s odd.”

“Remember that its constructed for one-handed throwing. The divots help to hold it and there is a weak gripping charm on it.”

He tossed his up in the air a few times and suggested I do the same to get a better feel for it. Once I did, he lined up with the goal doing a few slow mock throws to show me his movements before launching it, the scarlet ball sailing through the hoop with ease.

He summoned his quaffle back and looked to me. “Your turn.”

I did my best to recreate his movements but the ball went much slower and fell well short of the goal. I repeated the process a number of times, Draco offering suggestions each time. By the dozenth time I was getting irritated when I missed again.

“Merlin you weren’t kidding about your lack of hand-eye coordination.” He mused.

I sent him a fierce glare and threatened to throw the next one at him, though clearly that wasn’t much of a threat. He chuckled and held his hands up in surrender. “Please help me,” I begged with an overdramatic pout.

“Set it down and walk through it slowly.” I did as he said, throwing my imaginary quaffle.  “That might be your issue.” He shuffled closer and gently put his hand on my arm. “You’re throwing it like this.” He moved my arm as I had been doing. “You’re not building up enough power with that strictly forward-backward motion. Try doing it more like this.” He guided me, moving in a more circular motion before extending out.

Thankfully he repeated the process a few more times because my brain was short-circuiting. I could feel his breath tickling my neck and the heat radiating from his body behind mine. I could smell his cologne, the one that had been driving me mad for weeks every time he leaned in close.

I turned my head hesitantly towards him. His expression was unreadable and after a second he stepped away abruptly and cleared his throat. “Right. Uh, why don’t you try it now.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice yet, and picked up the quaffle. I did my best to recreate his instructions and this time it hit the bottom of the hoop. I threw my hands up and squealed in excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliched? Yes.  
> Cute? Also yes.


	31. Two Stones, One Quaffle - Part 2

“Good job, partner! Who knows, next time it might even go _through_ the goal,” he teased, grinning as well.

“You can try but you can’t undermine my accomplishment! That was nearly my first goal! Well, quidditch goal. I’ve scored plenty of goals playing football during summer breaks.”

“Football?” His face scrunched up. “What in Merlin’s name is that? It sounds absolutely grotesque.”

“What? No, it’s a ball shaped much like a bludger but lighter and of course not bewitched to hit people. You kick it around with your feet to score goals. Didn’t you spend time in the muggle world?”

“I did.”

“Where?”

“London.”

“How did you visit muggle London and not hear about football?” I asked incredulously. “There’re multiple teams in that city alone, much less the rest of the United Kingdom and world!” He shrugged, looking a little lost. I set the quaffle on the ground. “Back up a bit and I’ll pass it to you.”

He did as I said and I kicked it over. We passed it back and forth for a few minutes before I walked a little further away. Unlike a football though, a quaffle has pockets, and my foot went right under the ball and chipped it. Draco’s seeker skills were no help as the quaffle nailed him in the number one spot no man wants to be hit. With a grunt he crumpled to his knees.

“Draco, I’m so sorry,” I called as I jogged over to him. He braced himself as he hunched forward, shaking his head at the ground. I stopped a just shy of him. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?”

“No, I think you’ve done enough for one day.” He replied in a strained voice.

“…does that count as a goal at least?”

“If your goal was to prevent me from having children, yes.” He slowly stood up, knees damp from the wet grass, and began trudging to the manor. “I teach you how to throw and this is how you repay me,” he grumbled, though his expression was finally lightening up.

I sauntered over to him, patting him on the back while he moved at the pace of and with the mobility of an elderly fellow. “C’mon, I’ll treat you to some fairy floss _if_ you make it to the manor before summer rolls back around.”

“Oh, is that how it is?” He grinned and lunged at me.

I laughed and barely managed to jump out of his reach. “I thought you were a seeker? You’re getting slow in your old age…”

He frowned and kept shuffling forward, not looking at me.

“Oh, don’t be like that,” I sighed, wondering how on Earth he could’ve taken that the wrong way. I paused, waiting for him to catch up to me.

“I’m not,” he replied with a flash of a grin. Before I knew it he sprang forward, his arms wrapping around me lifting me off my feet and trapping me to him.

“Put me down, Draco!” I commanded, trying not to laugh. He didn’t comply to my less than serious demand, not that I couldn’t escape his grip if I wanted to. But I didn’t. I liked the feel of his body against mine and the way his face lit up, even when he was teasing me. More and more lately, I found myself captivated by his smile, it was infuriating and exciting at the same time.

“I thought you were smart?” He mimicked my comment about his seeker skills, his lips noticeably close to my ear. “You’re getting slow in your old age, too, Hermione. Melting at my dopey frown. Unable to avoid my arms.”

There was an undertone to his words that matched my racing heart.

“Are you sure that you caught me all on your own, though? What if I allowed myself to be wrapped up in your arms?”

His grip loosened until I was returned to the ground. I turned to face him, his hands resting gently on my waist. There was a curious glint in his eye and his lips were half-quirked. “Now why would you do that?”

“I just wanted you to feel good about yourself…”

“Beside the fact that you think my ego is too big already, I don’t believe you.” There was something in his gaze. Desire. Temptation. All the things left unsaid between us these past months.

 _“It is._ Are you insinuating I’m lying?”

“Well, you seem to have a history of it. I recall you accusing me of stealing you a scarf once upon a time.”

I shoved him away playfully, crossing the patio and sliding into the warm house. He grabbed my hand, spinning me around and bringing me close.

“You lie, I steal – we’re perfect for each other,” he joked before a serious expression showed on his face. “Back to the matter at hand. If you allowed yourself to get grabbed, it wasn’t to appease me, was it?”

His light eyes were somehow more intense than usual and I squirmed away from him. I needed space to breath. I knew what he was after but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take the plunge. It was scary enough entering a normal relationship, and this would be anything but. There were so many things working against us, so many ways for this to end horribly.

“If I can’t hide from my emotions, neither can you, Hermione.” He called after me.

I stopped in my tracks, closing my eyes. I took a steadying breath and stormed back to him. There was an uncertainty in his eyes, like he wasn’t sure if I would kiss him or hit him. I wasn’t sure yet either. But I didn’t stop once I neared him, instead stepping close, curling my hands in the fabric of his sweater and tugging his lips down to mine. He remained frozen in shock for half a second before his arms came around me and he responded with fervor. His lips were soft and warm, nothing like the cold exterior he rarely produced anymore and it was a struggle to pull myself away.

I hesitantly looked up to see Draco equally breathless. Doubt began seeping into my mind before the barest of smiles appeared on his face and a newfound warmth radiated from him as he regarded me. His arms tightened around me and his playful demeanor returned. “Took you long enough.”

“Shut it.” I rolled my eyes but I was already leaning in again.


	32. Good Ideas

Following our trip outside, Draco and I had spent the day going through mind-numbingly long and depressing files. We didn’t talk much, focused on the work in front of us, though he did give me a grin and a wink when I left.

That was two days ago. I was needed at the Ministry yesterday while he went to follow up on a few possible leads. He sent a letter that evening informing me that they were more dead ends.

I was nervous to see him again in a few minutes. Were we a thing now? Was he actually interested in an exclusive relationship? Was I truly ready to put my heart on the line again after my last relationship?

It’s been about eight months since Ron and I called it quits. It was a tough decision but also a necessary one. All we did was grouch at each other when we weren’t able to avoid one another. It was a rough ending to an otherwise great six years. It was a relief when it was finally over, I felt like I could breathe again. But it also made me hesitant about future relationships, especially with someone else I had a history with.

I could only hope whatever the cause of failure was, I could avoid it if Draco and I decided we were ready to jump in. Deep down I knew I did want to try with him, God help me. Logic would suggest that us in a relationship would end badly: we only reconnected a few months ago, we have twisted and tangled past, and we’re working together. If that didn’t spell trouble, I didn’t know what did.

I inhaled a deep, calming breath as my clock chimed eight o’clock and I stepped into my fireplace and out in Malfoy Manor. Draco was waiting for me like usual. Did he always look so good in slacks and a crisp button-down shirt?

Draco’s smile faltered when I didn’t return it. “What’s wrong?”

I avoided his piercing gaze that searched my face for a hint. “Nothing.” I tried to sound reassuring but it fell flat even to my ears. “Before we do anything today, I think we need to talk.”

 “About what?”

“About _us._ We didn’t really discuss what happened yesterday…”

“Oh…what’s on your mind?”

“Well,” I started anxiously, “was the other day just fun or something more?”

“Both,” he replied with a smirk.

“Seriously, Draco. Do you want to be in a relationship? With me? Or should we forget anything ever happened and go back to being coworkers? That’s probably the smarter option…”

He contemplated my words for a moment. “I think that…there are a hundred ways for this to end badly and only one where this ends well.” I didn’t particularly like where this was going. He continued, _“But_ I think it’s worth chasing that path where we end up fat and happy, and grow old together. It’ll take patience and persistence for sure, but its possible.”

“So…”

He pulled me against him. “I think you’re far better than I deserve and I’d be a fool not to shower you with my charm until you fall irrevocably in love with me.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for that challenge? I can be very stubborn.”

“Your tellin’ me.” He responded dryly.

I smacked his chest. “I thought you were supposed to be charming me!”

“I am – look at that smile on your face!”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fault him. “On a separate note, I’d like to lay out a few ground rules.”

“Why am I not surprised?” He mused with a chuckle. “What do you propose?”

“Number one: this is all or nothing. I don’t do halfarsed or open relationships.” He nodded in agreement. “Number two: communication is important and no matter what your reasoning is, it comes across to me like you don’t trust me when you try to hide and control your emotions and expressions.” He looked surprised but nodded again. “And number three: I think we should take this slow; ‘we need to learn how to walk before we run’ kind of thing. We need to find a work-life balance first since we’re partners.”

“I accept your terms. I have one more thing to add, though I’m not sure that you’ll like it.” He hesitated, “I don’t want people to know just yet. Not –” He cut me off before I could interrupt, “for some ulterior reason. If we’re taking this slow to give us our best chance, I think your friends and the world would only add gregarious amounts of stress and doubt. We’d be doomed before we even got off the ground.”

“I don’t know…”

“Just for a month or two? We might not even last that long, but if we do, we’ll know if this is worth fighting for and we’ll have a stable foundation to go off of.”

I gnawed at the idea. I didn’t like lying to my best friends, though I’d been doing so for months. If we didn’t last that long, it was no harm, no foul. But if things did go well, would they accept this relationship? I knew my friends loved me but it was a lot to ask.

“I agree. But if we do end up telling my friends about us, I want to tell them everything – about how we reconnected and what we do now and I _really_ want to tell them about your history with the Order and the Ministry.”

He didn’t look very excited at the prospect but he consented. A playful grin formed on his face as he regarded me, “Why don’t we seal this contract with a kiss?”

I agreed readily and pulled back with a smug smile. “So you _can_ come up with good ideas.”

“You wound me so…” His hand went to his heart. “And I have plenty of stellar ideas! Like what if we grabbed some snacks before we go to my library?”

"That sounds like a splendid idea… Also, why do you call it  _your_  library?"

"Because it's  _my_  library."

I rolled my eyes at his useless response. "That means there’s another library…" I tried to keep my voice easy and conversational.

He stopped in his tracks and smirked down at me. "Something you want to ask me,  _Granger_?"

"I was just wondering if there were other libraries here,  _Malfoy_."

He nodded and turned us around. We made our way through the extensive structure until he eventually stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"You have two hours." He said sternly, though fondness crept into his voice.

"Two hours? That seems like a lot of –" My thoughts were quieted as he pushed open the doors and I peered in. The ceiling was two or three stories tall, easily. The walls were stuffed with books and the room was a maze of bookcases. Windows made up the entirety of one wall, floor to ceiling, letting in a flood of natural light. A spiral staircase in the corner led up to the upper floors which ringed above the main floor. Couches, chairs, and tables littered the main level in no specific order.

Draco cleared his throat causing me to flip around, and clasped his hands behind his back innocently. "What do I get in return for showing you this wonderous room?"

I sauntered back to him with a coy smile. “What do you want?”

He tapped a finger to his cheek. I leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek, but before I could move away his head slowly turned and like a magnet, my lips were drawn to his. His hands went to my hips, snaking under the hem of my shirt, leaving a burning trail wherever they went. I responded eagerly; my arms wrapped around his neck and I pressed myself hard against him.

He slowly began to move, dragging me with him. Once he hit a sofa, he lowered himself down. My body and mind protested the momentary loss of contact but I quickly settled one leg on either side of him as his hands shifted the hair off my neck. I bit back a moan as his lips brushed against my skin as he made his way toward my collarbone, breathing out my name as he went. This time I did moan at the sensation, causing his fingers to dig into the flesh of my hips and I rolled them against him, enjoying his startled gasp. My hands glided over his chest to the collar of his shirt, and I was just starting to drag those teasing lips back to mine...

"Oh!" Came a surprised chirp behind us.

I twisted from my position in Draco's lap towards the doorway. Narcissa stood in the threshold, her hand pressed against her heart. I pushed off the woman's son and sat beside him, trying to shrink into nonexistence, my already flushed cheeks reddening even more.

Narcissa's surprise ebbed into a smirk that was scary similar to the one I often saw on Draco’s face. "We really must stop meeting like this, dear."

“I would have to agree,” I mumbled, smoothing down my shirt.

"What brings you to the library, Mother?" Draco asked, his voice uneven and tinged with displeasure at being interrupted.

"I'm going out for the day. I came by to ask you if you needed anything, though I see now your hands are quite full."

He glared at her. "We're fine, thank you."

"Uh-huh," she gave a conspiratorial grin, "I won't be back until late. Don't wait up you two."

 


	33. First Date

_Yesterday_

_I packed my things into my bag then slid into my sweater after another depressing work day. None of our leads went far, though we did manage to arrest two low-level offenders._

_“What are you doing tomorrow morning?” Draco inquired._

_I looked up, sliding my hair out from where it lay under the collar of the cardigan. I could swear he looked nervous. “Nothing that I know of. Why?”_

_“Well, we’ve been together only a few days but we haven’t spent any time together outside of work. I was hoping you’d join me tomorrow; there’s an outdoor market I wanted to visit, then maybe walk around the town a bit.”_

_“That sounds lovely. Where are we meeting? And what time?”_

_“I’ll stop by your place and apparate us there? Say, around nine?”_

_“I’ll be ready and waiting.” I responded, excited by the prospect._

_His anxiousness broke to reveal a matching eagerness. “Perfect! Oh – it’s south of London but it’ll still be about ten degrees in the morning.”_

_“Wear good shoes to walk around in and dress warm – got it!” I confirmed, shouldering my bag._

_“Sounds good. Well, uh, I’ll walk you out.” He didn’t look quite sure what to do but offered me his arm._ _I stepped forward and looped mine with his, a youthful giddiness bubbling within me._

_When we arrived at the fireplace, I turned to face him. He leaned close and pressed a lingering kiss to my cheek, looking a little nervous again. I was too, but we had done far worse on the library couch, it was a little late to be chaste with each other._

_I pouted and stayed where I was until he got the message. His lips quirked up before his hand came up to caress my cheek, his silvery gaze demanded mine before he moved closer. My eyes fluttered shut and my lips parted for his. My already racing heart jolted at the contact and I responded with equal ardor._

_“Alright,_ now _I can leave,” I joked once we’d parted._

_“Careful, Granger. I could get used to ending every day like this.”_

_“I hope so, Malfoy.” I replied with a grin, grabbing a handful of floo powder as I stepped into the fireplace and called out my address._

_Present_

 

I checked myself over in the mirror one last time, finally satisfied; I wore a burnt-orange and crème striped dress that ended at my knees. Thick, black leggings kept my legs warm and as did a matching cardigan. My low-heeled boots probably weren’t the most sensible option for a day of walking but they were too cute to ditch.

I shoved a beanie and the scarf Draco had lifted into my extended purse along with my wand. The doorbell rang and I released a deep breath, tampering down my smile and trying not to seem too eager as I opened the door.

Draco stood, hands shoved in his pockets, in his grey pea coat and darkwash jeans. His face lit up when he saw me, “You look amazing.”

“Thanks, you too.” I smiled shyly.

“Ready to go?”

“Yes,” I answered, stepping out into the brisk air, locking the door behind me.

He grabbed my hand tightly and whisked us away, not letting go after we landed, much to my delight.

I took in my new surroundings. We were in a back-alley of some sort but even from here I could smell the ocean on the wind. “Where are we?”

He led me out of the alley and my eyes were immediately drawn to the glimmering blue water in front of me. I pulled my sweater closer with my free hand as a breeze rolled off the ocean.

“Welcome to Boscombe,” he announced.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured. I tore my eyes away from the sea only to find him completely ignorant of the views, focused instead on me. “What?” I asked a little self-consciously.

“Nothing,” he smiled tenderly. “C’mon, the market’s this way.”

We walked at a leisurely pace passing many others whom, like us, were out enjoying the atmosphere. I felt infinitely content in that moment, happy to stroll along like this forever; a companion by my side, a view to die for, and the regular going-ons of a coastal city framed in morning sunlight.

The murmur of a small crowd announced the market before I saw it. Dozens of stalls were set up in a lot – some with elaborate tents and signs, others with no more than a table. People milled from vendor to vendor, conversing amicably. We weaved our way into the throng and I sidled closer to Draco as people pressed in on us.

It felt like we stopped at every stall, pointing out things we liked or didn’t like, and daring each other to try some of the weird concoctions merchants were selling. I took my time picking out a hand-painted postcard of the local pier while Draco ordered a few things at a nearby stall. After I paid, I meandered over to him, watching as the shop owner hand him his purchase.

“What’d you get?” I stood on my tiptoes to peek over his shoulder, putting my hands on his waist to balance myself. One hand went to his pocket while the other grasped a small box. Gently, he turned around and held one out to me. Bemused, I opened it to find a set of sea-glass earrings. They were a bright blue, reminiscent of the ocean where they were found.

“They’re lovely, Draco.” I thanked, my heart fluttering in my chest. A leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

“I’m glad you like them.” He smiled brightly.

I tucked them safely into my purse and reached for his hand as we began moving again.

We stopped our way out for hot chocolate and talked about everything and nothing in between sips. Eventually we found ourselves at the end of the pier. I leaned against the railing, staring into the abyss below. Draco leaned beside me, back to the open water.

“Now’s your chance to go swimming in the ocean.” I suggested, remember his admittance from our game of ‘never-have-I-ever’.

He quirked an eyebrow, “I think the water is a little too cold for a dip…”

“Naah. Use a warming spell, you’ll be fine.”

“Well, I know  _you_  won’t use a warming spell. Or am I supposed to be doing this all by myself?”

“I’ve already been in the ocean. Repeatedly. This is all for you.”

Draco regarded me with a half-grin, his feather-light hair ruffling in the wind. “But what if I need help?”

“You have magic.”

“We’re surrounded by muggles,” He pointed out. “It would be up to you. So,” he paused, “would you rescue me?”

I hesitated, “You know what, let’s wait for summer.”

His jaw dropped and he pushed off the railing,  _“Ow!”_  He got out between his laughs, his one hand going to his chest. “I can’t believe you!”

“I’m just kidding!” I took a few steps forward, reaching out for him. “I’m sorry!”

“Nope, it’s too late now. The damage is done.” He tried to pout but couldn’t quite hold back his grin.

I finally got a hold of him and wrapped myself around him in a bear hug, trapping his arms to his sides. I gazed up at him as he laughed, the feeling reverberating through me. A small part of me marveled at how natural it felt to be like this.

His silvery-grey focus bounced around the pier before I called his attention with an over-dramatic, “Please, Draco, tell me what I must do so you’ll forgive me!”

He glanced down at me with an amused look and didn’t say anything, but a second later he was leaning down, bringing his mouth to mine.

“That,” He articulated after we parted, “will do.”

I released him and rolled my eyes, trying to tamper the happiness humming through my body. He entwined his hand with mine. “Let’s go, troublemaker,” he teased, “I know a place for brunch.”


	34. Warm Stories

I lounged alone in one of the worn living room chairs at Grimmauld Place. The sounds of cups and china clattering together rang through the home as Harry and Ron grabbed some treats and made a pot of tea, and Ginny would be back any moment from dropping off Teddy at Andromeda’s.

It was exactly a week before Halloween, but looking around the house one would never know it. Halloween used to be my favorite holiday when I was a child as it was the only day my parents couldn’t deny me sweet, tooth-rotting treats. But after years of fighting real life monsters and spending a part of the day mourning beside Harry, it was now low on my list.

Draco had suggested we leave for a few days, remembering my interest in one of the hallway paintings; a lakeside cabin where we could retreat from work and the world. I had readily agreed, glad to take a break from skimming through unending case files every day. More and more reports flooded in with no clear pattern and no solid leads. We were both a bit terse lately which wasn’t ideal as we were working on becoming something more than colleagues. And I’d be lying if I said part of the reason I agreed had nothing to do with spending alone time with him, no mother with ill-timing around.

I twirled a loose lock of hair, smiling fondly at the thought of Draco. Was it really only a month ago that we had been tangled up on a couch in his family library? God, I loved starting and ending my day with a kiss now, the time in between _mostly_ spent working. He would usually end up distracting me at some point, whether by affection or a by starting a debate. As changed as he was, he was still a troublemaker and still infuriating at times. He was as skilled as ever with words and during our  ~~arguments~~  debates would sometimes weave my own points against me, flustering me by rendering my logic moot, though I usually got him back. It made me want to slap him and kiss him at the same time. I resisted the temptation for both by glaring at him and his self-satisfied expression. But he’d break my resolve in minutes, teasing a smile from me. I enjoyed our verbal sparring and I wonder if we’d have done so in school had we not been so opposed to each other.

I heard the footsteps too late, lost in my thoughts with starry-eyes and a goofy smile still plastered on my face. I tried to conjure an innocent look but it was of no use, the redhead was just too good.

“What’s with the silly grin?” Ginny stopped just short in the doorway, watching me suspiciously.

“Hmm?” I feigned innocence.

She slowly lowered herself in the chair across from me, eyes narrowed.

I tried my best to recover. “I, uh…you know, I just read a lovely article about a book shop in Surrey that houses rescue kittens. It’s such a heartwarming story.”

“You  _do_  have the look of someone whose heart is being warmed – by  _someone._ Not by cats.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. Draco and I had discussed telling other people about our relationship after a month or two, but I’d have to check if he was ready to tell my friends. Maybe after our weekend retreat.

That didn’t mean I could tell Ginny about the relationship in general…

“Alright,” I paused, my smile returning, “I met someone.”

Ginny squeaked in excitement and I quietly shushed her, glancing towards the kitchen where the boys were.

“It’s still very new, we haven’t had the chance to tell anyone yet.”

“Is it Jon? Harry told me you started working with a fresh-from-training auror the past few months.”

“Uhh,” I hesitated. I mean, I was dating Jon in a way…

Harry and Ron walked in, one holding a platter of cups and the other a plate of biscuits. They set the refreshments down on the table took their seats across from us.

“What are you ladies up to?” Harry inquired, munching on a biscuit.

Ginny opened her mouth to gush but I cut in, not in the mood for more questions I didn’t know how to answer. “I was just telling Gin about a bookstore that rescues cats and the customers can pet them while they browse and even adopt them.”

Ginny, ever the professional when gossip was involved, got the message and also sent one of her own, “Yes! She’s dragging me to go see it  _very soon_.”

I nodded, knowing an in-depth girl talk was in my immediate future.

“Yeah, that sounds like Hermione.” Ron mumbled, grabbing a couple of biscuits.

I quirked a brow at my ex. “I’m sorry, did the peanut gallery have a comment?”

Harry cleared his throat to interrupt, “Hermione, you’re still coming over for Halloween, right? Feels like we haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Ah. About that,” I shot a brief look over at Ginny, “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it this year.”

“Oh,” He sat back in surprise, “What do you have planned?”

“Nothing much. Just going to relax at a family cabin for a few days. I need a break from the research.”

Technically it was a family cabin, just not  _my_  family’s.

“You? Taking a break?” Harry leaned forward pressing the back of his hand to my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”

I swatted him away with a laugh, “I’m great, really.”

“I want to know  _everything_  the second you return.” Ginny grinned, her eyes shining with excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten more chapters already written, can't wait for you guys to read them! <3


	35. Muretto Lake

I went over my list of things to pack once more, checking each item off with a pen. I had a small duffel packed with everything I needed for a weekend getaway. Draco reminded me it was fall at the lakeside, mountain cabin and that it would likely be chillier than it was here in London, so I made sure to pack a heavy coat along with a warm hat as well as the red scarf he may or may not have stolen for me.

Following a quick shower, I changed into an oversized sweater and fleece-lined leggings, and triple-checked my list. With everything ready, I flicked out the lights and shouldered my bag. With a handful of powder and a shout, I arrived at Malfoy manor, and I hesitated as I stepped out. I was told to floo over once ready but he never said exactly where he would meet me. The manor was an absolute maze and the only path I knew was from this fireplace to our office.

I was saved from making any decisions by a nearly silent  _pop._

I was expecting Draco only to be greeted by the presence of Narcissa. My anxiety instantly shot through the roof remembering that the last time I saw her I was entangled with her son in her home library.

“Narcissa,” I squeaked. “Good morning.”

The woman smiled warmly, “And to you, dear.”

We stood silently, Narcissa watching me intensely but giving nothing away. _Should I walk to the office? Should I turn around and leave?_

Narcissa eventually took pity on me in my flustered state. “Some of the wards were down when I awoke this morning. Draco is repairing them and I  _insisted_  on receiving you.”

“Alright,” was all I could get out, too perplexed to do much more than move my feet.

“I knew it would be a good chance for us to talk.”

“Did…did you take down the wards just so you could talk with me?”

“Merlin, no!” She gasped. I must’ve looked as unconvinced as I felt. “I truly don’t know what happened to our wards, but Draco will have them fixed in no time.”

I nodded, my mind drifting to Leo Carstairs and Theodore Nott, wondering if someone else was testing their defenses. Nott did say the Malfoys had plenty of enemies…

“Anyways,” Narcissa’s cheerful voice went on, “I assume you two are together now after that incident in the library. I wanted to ask about your intentions with my son.”

“Wait…what?  _My_  intentions?” I was about to lay in to the matriarch when Draco appeared in front of us. My ire was momentarily displaced as my gaze landed on his well-dressed form and the dazzling smile he aimed at me before looking at his mother. “The wards are back up.”

“What happened to them?”

He shrugged in response to my question. “I’m not sure. There’s no evidence of tampering.” Draco held out a hand after the conversation lulled. “I need to get my bag, then we can go.”

I grabbed his outstretched hand without hesitation and once we were out of earshot I asked, “Is there anyone you can think of who would want to remove the defenses on the manor?”

“No one comes to mind.” He paused. “Honestly, it was done a little  _too_  cleanly.”

“How do you mean?”

“The wards are intricate variations of common protective charms, and certain ones do certain things if someone were to fumble a step when trying to remove or adjust them. For example, if you mess up the  _protego totalum_ charm, it stuns you indefinitely until someone finds you. The  _repello inimicum_  charm will conjure a photo of the intruder and send it to the Ministry with an alert. And the  _salvio hexia_  one will instantly disintegrate you.”

“What exactly are you saying?”

“The person who removed the wards knew exactly how to do it.”

“How many people-”

He had already anticipated my question, as it was the next logical thing to ask. “My father, mother, and me. But I suspect my father disclosed the details to others during the war – whether by choice or by force. The rest of the wards – the ones that require someone from my immediate family to access them – were left untouched. My mother and I have no plans to remove them and my father’s in Azkaban, so I’m not too worried.”

I nodded and we walked in silence, each gnawing at the idea that someone else knew how to take down part of the manor’s defenses. I squeezed his hand reassuringly, watching some of the worry lines ease from his face.

Once he’d grabbed his things and tripled-checked the wards, we returned to the large fireplace in the foyer where Narcissa waited for us.

“Are you sure you don’t want to leave for a few days? Maybe back to the château?” Draco urged his mother.

“I already told you, I’m staying. And I’ll have you know I’m not some damsel.” She explained sternly. “I can protect myself. I’ve been doing so since before you were born.”

Draco chuckled and stepped to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “Yes, Mother, I know. We’ll be back some time the day after Halloween.”

“I know, I know. Have fun, dears.” She smiled warmly as we climbed into the fireplace.

 

We arrived in what seemed to be the living room. It had vaulted ceilings and a large, oversized couch that faced a wall of windows overlooking the lake. Built-ins covered one wall, stuffed with books and a few magical artifacts. One stone archway led to an attached kitchen and dining room while the other led to the bedrooms, Draco explained.

“It smells great in here – what is it?”

“Stew. Let’s put our things away then we can eat.” He grabbed my things and I followed him through one of the archways. It T'ed into a short hallway, a door at each end. He led us to the right. “This was my room.”

The room was spacious with a large bed in the center, a desk sitting by the window, and a chaise lounge chair in the corner. A closet and personal bathroom were attached to the room through separate doors.

I snickered, “Were you a delicate child?”

“I beg your pardon?” He replied gruffly, setting my bag on the bed.

I walked over to the lounge and placed the back of my hand to my forehead dramatically. “Oh, I feel so faint! This mountain air must be getting to me!” I collapsed onto the seat with a giggle.

He crossed his arms trying to scowl and hide his amusement. “I’ll have you know I spent many hours reading there. It’s quite comfortable.”

I smirked up at him, shifting my body in to a better position. “It is, isn’t it? I might have to spend the entire trip here.”

He meandered towards the door, “I guess I’ll just have to eat all the stew myself…”

“Draco Malfoy, don’t you dare!” I jumped out of the chair, laughing as I chased him to the kitchen.

We ate dinner fairly quickly then bundled up to take a look around outside. It was evening at this point, the sun setting over the cabin lighting up the reds, yellows, and oranges of the trees and setting fire to the lake. I walked onto the deck, a fresh breeze bringing with it the scent of evergreens. A fire pit took up a good chunk of the outdoor area, surrounded by half a dozen chairs and floating tealights that cast a tranquil glow.

Draco gently grasped my hand, leading me down a set of steps that went to the water. We strolled across the lawn and eventually onto a dock that jutted out over the water with a few Adirondack chairs and another fire pit. We clunked our way to the end, the fire igniting once we were close, giving off much needed warmth. We each took a chair, his hand remaining entwined with mine.

I inhaled deeply, loving the crisp, fresh air. My worries ebbed away with every lap of water against the dock. “This is perfect.” I breathed out, closing my eyes.

“I’m glad you said yes.” He responded quietly.

“Me, too. I don’t ever want to leave this place.”

“I meant about us.”

It was hard to believe the man before me was the same git from school.

“Me too.” I smiled wryly, “Thank goodness I decided to jump you.”

“Who wouldn’t? I’m gorgeous.”

Maybe it wasn’t so hard to believe after all. I rolled my eyes. “And humble.”


	36. Desecration

It was around ten that night as we lounged in the hot-tub I had conjured after Draco’s “What in Merlin’s beard is a jacuzzi” outburst. A quick transfiguration spell and we were both in swimsuits and sprinting towards the heated water.

Due to the lack of nearby civilization, the only luminescence came from the levitating tealights and the crescent moon. I leaned against the side wall, watching the moonlight dance across the inky lake, the only sound coming from the gentle waves and the breeze that rippled through the trees. My breaths puffed in front my face and steam rose from the warm water, but the chilled air gave relief from the intense heat.

I looked back at Draco. He was as relaxed as I’d ever seen him, a warm glow in his eyes, no tension in his broad shoulders. He looked young without the stress burdening him. It was something I learned about him; he stressed more than I did, which was saying a lot. It made me realize that I needed to work on dealing with it better, too.

I found it was rather easy to calm him when he got especially frustrated. Entwining my fingers with his worked well – better than words, though any form of physical affection usually helped to replace his scowl; a hand on the shoulder, a kiss on the cheek. I wondered not for the first time what it was like growing up in Malfoy Manor. There was a difference between being doted on and being nurtured, and from the way he seemed to crave the most innocent physical reassurance, I assumed his childhood lacked the latter. Not that I minded. I was an affectionate person by nature. Ron would sometimes get annoyed with me, especially towards the end, and brush me away calling me clingy. I really liked that Draco – consciously or subconsciously – sought comfort from me, as I found I craved it, too.

I shifted to face him. We stared at each other for a few long minutes, both comfortable with the peaceful silence and content with the company.

Of course, he had to ruin it by opening his mouth.

“It’s fitting don’t you think?”

“What is?”

“That the Gryffindor Princess and Slytherin Prince should end up together.”

“‘End up together?’” I raised an eyebrow skeptically, “I don’t know if I really even like you yet.”

“I’d say I’m off to a good start.”

I shrugged, coyly looking away. “I remain unconvinced.”

He slid over to me, “Then tell me, princess, how can I convince you?” He whispered into my ear.

I shivered at the sensation of his breath over my skin. “I don’t know that you can,” I turned away from him, “and don’t call me princess.” I added the last part knowing the more I argued against it, the more he would use it, which was exactly what I wanted.

He pressed up behind me, one hand on me waist, the other moving up my arm leaving a trail of goosebumps. “Don’t write me off so quickly, princess.” I could hear the smirk in his voice, could practically see the curl of his lips.

My hair was up in a lazy bun, giving him perfect access to my neck, of which he took full advantage. He placed a few lingering kisses, “Convinced yet?”

“Hmm...nope.” I replied, focused on keeping my breathing even.

His lips trailed ever so slowly across my exposed shoulder, his other arm snaked around my waist pulling me tighter against him in the warm water.

“How about now?”

It took me a second to find my voice. "Not quite."

I gasped when his hand slid to my mid-back, stopping at the strings and pulling them.

I flipped around, holding my bikini top down as it tried to float up in the bubbling water, an unbelievable look on my face. “I cannot believe you just did that!” I laughed, my eyes wide with disbelief. “That’s such a classic, clichéd move!”

“I’m nothing if not classy, you should know that by now.”

I rolled my eyes biting down a smile, and a bold idea formed in my head. I stood up, dropping my hands, the warm water cascading off me as I stepped out of the jacuzzi and onto the deck. The air was freezing but I forced myself to walk slowly and deliberately to the door. I turned my head slightly to look back him, pausing in the doorway. As I’d predicted his eyes were glued to me, unabashedly watching. Eventually his grey orbs made their way up to mine and I nodded for him to follow me as I strolled inside. He didn’t need to be told twice, hopping out of the tub and strutting after me.

The cabin was blissfully warm after the short, soaking wet walk from the hot tub to the door. He kept his distance, enjoying the view of my scantily clad body as I made my way to his old room. I was standing in the middle of the space when he walked in, my arms crossed to retain what little body heat I had left as water continued to dripped off of me.

He slowly approached, desire burning in his eyes, and stopped inches from me, leaning down to capture my lips with his softly. Slowly I unraveled, wrapping myself around him as the slow, sensuous kiss turned heated.

He couldn’t keep his hands to himself after that. They had a mind of their own, roaming across my body, running through my hair once the hair tie fell out, pulling me hard against him until I wasn’t sure whose heartbeat was whose. He freed his lips to kiss his way along my jaw and down my throat. I released a breathy moan as he left a gentle love bite on my neck, my fingers digging into his back.

With much effort, I managed to disentangle myself from him long enough to crawl onto the bed.

“Really, Granger?” He smirked, eyes glimmering with dark desire, “You wish to defile me on one of my childhood beds?”

I leaned back, stretching out across the plush comforter. “It’s either that or we can talk about how spoiled you were that you had multiple beds as a child, probably as an adult too. And-”

“Desecration it is,” He cut in, the bed dipping as climbed on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't see, I added a new chapter 29 of their first date! Not pivotal at this point in the story but its there if you want to check it out! I plan to add two more chapters to the middle, one of them working well together as partners and probably another date (:


	37. Open and Under

The cabin was silent as we snuggled following our evening activities, Draco’s arm draped across my waist and a content look on his face that matched the one on mine.

The cold air finally started to seep in though, causing me to pull the blankets up higher and shift closer to Draco who radiated warmth. “Can’t you light a fire or something? It’s bloody freezing in here.”

“Why would I?” His arm tightened, bringing me closer. I closed my eyes, basking in his heat and the feel of his skin pressed against mine. “Otherwise you might try and leave this bed.”

“And you’d be right, because I need to go take a shower.” I mumbled.

He nuzzled my neck. “Really, princess? First my childhood bed and now my shower?”

“Not  _that_  kind of shower. An actual one, you know, where you get clean.”

“Who says we can’t multitask?”

I laughed and smacked him. “I say! You’re a goddamned distraction!”

He pulled away with a smirk. “It is another one of my many, finely-honed skills.”

“Oh, you have more than one skill?” I replied cheekily before laying my head on his chest and hooking my leg over his. “Tell me about the rest.”

He trailed a hand down my arm, the only part of me exposed to the chilly air. “Well, I am quite good at magic-”

“I know _that_ already, you were in most of my N.E.W.T.-level classes.”

“There’s a difference between learning magic in a classroom and wielding it in the world.” He pointed out. “Which I believe is something you know from your seventh year, or lack thereof.”

I agreed with a small nod. I had used magic many times alongside Harry during our years at Hogwarts, but it was nothing like when we were Horcrux hunting. I was reliant on my magical abilities to keep us alive, and though the studies helped, there was nothing comparable to applying it in life and death situations.

“Did you have to use a lot of magic?” I asked in a soft voice, glancing up at him.

“Some, in the way that you’re asking.” His eyes avoided mine to stare up at the ceiling. “Once they gave me the task of killing Dumbledore, Aunt Bella taught me occlumency.” I blinked at hearing Bellatrix referred to as an aunt. How weird it was to think of that horrid woman referred to by something with such a warm connotation. I wondered if Andromeda was called ‘aunt’ as well. “It was probably the most useful magic I’ve learned, honestly. You accuse Slytherins of using emotions as manipulative tools, but your mind is more open than your expressions, and therefore more important to defend. It also helps me resist veritaserum, the Imperius curse, and of course legilimency.”

“Snape tried to teach Harry once, but he was never very good at it.”

Draco snorted humorlessly. “That’s because he can’t keep his emotions in check to save his life. When you’re learning, you’ve got to focus incredibly hard on emptying your mind and pushing out the intangible threat. As you get older and with practice, it becomes second nature and you’re no longer unbalanced by emotions or the presence of danger.”

“Oh. What was it like at Malfoy Manor?”

“When? During the war? Bleak.”

“How about as a kid?”

“I loved it as a child. I was told I was the best and I was taught how to be. I had two parents who offered me the world. I guess it’s only fair there would eventually be a price to pay.” He paused, lost in his thoughts. Then he whispered, “I didn’t tell my mother.”

My brows furrowed and searched for a clue in his regretful expression. “What didn’t you tell her?”

“I’m responsible for my father’s incarceration.” He paused to meet my eyes before returning his gaze to the ceiling. “As awful as he was, they loved each other and they loved me. We were a close family, we protected each other always put ourselves first. It was hard enough on her – on both of us – when he was imprisoned in fifth year. I don’t think she would forgive me for taking him away from us again. As hard as she projects her heart as being, my betrayal would likely break it.”

“You don’t know that.” I turned his face towards me when he avoided meeting my eyes. “It may be rough at first, but she loves you fiercely. I’ve only been around for a short time but even I can see it. You should tell her.” I finished softly, pressing a kiss to his chest.

“My mother finally returns after years away and then I get to break her heart. Life was going so well, too. My mother’s home, and I have a smart, attractive, though _slightly_ demanding girlfriend…”

“Demanding?!” I shrieked indignantly. I pushed myself up so I was looking him straight in the eyes. “When have _ever_ demanded anything of you?”

“How about twenty minutes ago? You were demanding quite a lot from me.”

I pursed my lips to hide my amusement. “Touché.” I said simply, before settling back against his chest. I closed my eyes again, relaxing more with every beat of his heart.

“We should stay like this forever.” Draco breathed, his hand wrapping around me again. “Lest you remember why you rightfully detested me all those years ago.”

I sighed against him. “We both saw too much during the war and it changed us – I suspect you more than me on both counts. But neither of us is the same fifteen-year-old yelling names and flinging jinxes at each other.” I paused, “I _was_ surprised how quickly you warmed up to me, though, what with your ‘emotions are dangerous’ rule.”

He smiled ruefully. “Honestly, I was so tired of being grumpy and alone. It’s been years since I’ve had a friend and never have I had a truly honest one. I’m close with Kingsley, but it’s not quite the same. I grudgingly liked you at Hogwarts but for obvious reasons that would not have gone well. So I took out my frustration on you and Potter and Weasel. And after I confessed everything to you following your interjection into my life at the Portentous Grotto, I realized trying to resist was futile. I craved real interaction and I still liked you, but this time I had a chance to do something about it.”

“And I’m glad that you did.”

He leaned forward to capture my lips in a passionate kiss, showing me he felt the same. I eagerly responded, maneuvering myself on top of him and trapping his hands by his sides.

“My turn,” I purred, a promise to return tenfold the tortuously slow pleasure he had teased me with.


	38. Good Morning

_Draco_

 

My fourteen-year-old self would explode if I told him that in ten years, Hermione Granger would be asleep in our bed after a particularly busy evening. He would’ve laughed and called me delusional, but the proof lay beside me, only her head peeking out from under the toasty covers.

She sighed softy in her sleep and shifted closer. I smiled to myself and reached out to push a few stray strands of her hair back, marveling at the fact that she could stand my presence much less allow my touch, crave it even, if last night was anything to go on. I was surprised how much I enjoyed spending my days with her, even if most of the time I was being deservedly scolded. Merlin, all she had to do was bat those big brown eyes and smile at me and I was rendered helpless.

I chuckled quietly to myself; I was screwed. It might not be love yet, it was too soon for that, but I was certainly being pulled down that road, and I had no intention of fighting against the draw.

I released a deep sigh, content to stay in this peace for eternity.

 

 

_Hermione_

 

I woke up to the feeling of someone repeatedly stroking the hair back from my face. A pulse of panic rolled through me before my mind caught up. I wasn’t in my lonely little flat, I was in a fancy cabin that belonged to the Malfoy’s, and I had just spent the night doing unspeakable things with the pureblooded family’s heir. I held back a giggle at that thought, hoping Draco’s ancestors were rolling in their graves.

I finally opened my eyes, blinking in the soft sunlight that streamed into the room.

Draco was propped up on his elbow beside me, haloed in the morning light, a peaceful expression on his face. His hand stilled once he noticed I was awake and he smiled bashfully. “Sorry,” He muttered, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s not a bad way to wake up.” I smiled back, then closed my eyes as his hand started moving again, his tenderness warming me up inside.

“Did you sleep okay?”

I glared at him, “When I was finally able to go to sleep, yes.” A sly grin flashed across his face. I continued in a softer tone, “How about you?” I reached up to caress he cheek and he leaned into my touch.

“I don’t think I’ve ever slept so good.” He replied honestly, “No nightmares terrorizing me. No stress keeping me up. No waking up at the slightest sound.”

“Good,” I responded proudly, knowing my presence was responsible. My hand dropped so I could snuggle back under the covers. That’s when I noticed what he was wearing and the light fragrance of his cologne. “Wait – are you already showered and dressed? What time is it?” I sat up, grasping at the duvet to cover me up as I searched the room for a clock.

“It’s only nine-thirty, relax.” He gently pushed me back down, “I’m an early riser.”

My face scrunched up and I flipped the sheets over my face, my voice came out muffled, “Oh no, don’t tell me you’re a morning person?”

He chuckled at my reaction. “It’s not so bad,” He got up and off the bed, then returned, sitting down gingerly and placing something beside me. “For instance, I’ll always have coffee or tea ready for you when you wake up.”

I flipped the sheet back down and he watched bemused as I greedily snatched a steaming cuppa off the tray. “I mean, I _could_ get used to this.”

“So could I,” He murmured, looking at me like I was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen. Me. With my wild hair in a tangled mess, sheets pulled around me to cover my body. I wouldn’t think I’d feel especially beautiful, but from the look on his face, I did.

I smiled into my drink and took a sip, “What’re the plans for today?”

He blinked, refocusing. “I was thinking breakfast first, then kayaking around the lake a little if you’re up for it, and lastly carving jack-o’-lanterns for tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a perfect day,” I approved, eager to start. I set my cup down on the nightstand. “I’ll, uh, meet you in the kitchen. I think it’s my turn for a shower.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything…” Draco teased, taking a few faux sniffs near me. I knocked him in the head with a pillow. “You did not just…”

“Truce?” I tried, “I didn’t mean it, it was just an accident…” He smirked and lunged at me. I shrieked with laughter as he smacked me with the same pillow I’d used against him. “No, no, no! I really need to shower, Draco!” I whined.

“Fine, I’ll let you off easy this time, princess.” His eyes lit up at the prospect of a future challenge. “Next time, you might not be so lucky.”

He rolled off me, grabbed the tray, and left the room, shutting the door behind him, and I was finally able to catch my breath. I felt ridiculously giddy and it was a few more moments before I grabbed my stuff and headed for the attached bathroom.


	39. Mediocre Fight

Draco made breakfast and we munched away at our pancakes in a comfortable silence. I was surprised when the stacks came out golden brown and tasted good; I wouldn’t think the kid who had everything would’ve learned how to cook.

After breakfast we went kayaking around the lake as promised. The sun was warm on our backs and the breeze from the previous day had thankfully died down. The beautiful blue-green lake was clear and calm making for an easy trip. Every now and then Draco would point out another cabin or a trailhead or the name of one of one of the surrounding peaks.

He’d brought sandwiches with him so we ate lunch out on the lake, drifting lazily and enjoying the fall scenery. Afterwards, we continued paddling around, not returning back to the cabin until it was dinner time and the sun was starting to descend behind the mountains. My arms had felt like jelly from the physical exhaustion, but it was a good feeling.

Following dinner, Draco carried out a few pumpkins and carving sets, and we agreed to sit out on the dock while we transformed them into jack-o’-lanterns.

“Hmm,” I looked down at my pumpkin, “It’s not my best work, but I think I’m done.” A traditional jack-o’-lantern grinned up at me.

Draco paused to peek over. “Mm. I’d have to agree with you.”

My jaw dropped, “Isn’t this the stage of the relationship where you’re supposed to be nice to me?”

He chuckled and shook his head, “I think you know better than to expect that, especially when you’ve got such a mediocre jack-o’-lantern.” He nodded pointedly at my carved pumpkin.

“It’s not mediocre!” I argued, flustered, “And what about yours? It’s wall-eyed!”

He frowned through his amusement, “Well, that just adds to the creepiness of it, don’t you think?”

“Maybe if it was on purpose.”

“I’d rather my accidentally freaky pumpkin of your _mediocre_ one any day,” He retorted.

I threw my tools down and stood. “You take that back right this second.”

“Hmm…no.”

I put my hands on my hips and looked at him as seriously as I could muster. “Take it back _now.”_

“Nope.”

“Or else…” I threatened.

“Or else _what?”_

I pursed my lips, pondering a good comeback when an idea struck. I scooped some of the slimy, smelly pumpkin guts into my hand.

“You wouldn’t dare, Granger.” He growled.

Now it was my turn to grin, “Try me, _Malfoy._ Call my pumpkin mediocre _one more time.”_

He opened his mouth but said nothing and closed it immediately. I cocked my head and quirked an eyebrow at him. He thought about it another second… _“Mediocre,”_ He mouthed at me.

I threw the innards at him and it slapped against his puffy vest, then flopped onto the deck.

His eyes darted between me and the seeds before they finally settled on me. “This means war.”

 _“No._ That was fair recompense for calling my pumpkin names.”

 _“Name,”_ He corrected as he stood up, then scooped up his own handful of guts.

“Don’t do it.” I warned, backing away from him as he inched toward me. “You’re going to regret it,” I sang.

He lunged forward abruptly and I tried to jump out of the way, but he caught me in an embrace, his arms tightening as attempted to wiggle free. He released the slimy fruit bits on my head as we swayed unsteadily on the rocking dock and I yelped as we lost our balance and tipped overboard.

The lake water was ice cold and I pushed to the surface instantly to find that the air wasn’t much better. I heard sloshing behind me and turned to see Draco rise from the waist deep water, dripping wet.

“Ooh, I can’t believe you would do that, Draco Malfoy,” I teased, my voice trembling as I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself.

He folded his arms to his chest, also trembling. “Me? You’re the one who said you were going to make me regret any retaliation. You not only followed through but you also sacrificed yourself.” He started wading towards the shore and I did the same. “I’m impressed.”

“You tackled me into the water!”

“Did not!”

We dragged ourselves on shore still bickering good naturedly. I shucked off my water-logged jacket and dripping wet hat as we shuffled toward the cabin. I saw Draco doing the same thing beside me, and we left a trail of clothes across the lawn and up to the deck.

The inside of the cabin felt only slightly warmer than outside. Draco thrust out his hand and the fireplace roared to life. I jogged over, rubbing my arms trying to get blood circulation again.

He ran off a second later and when he returned he was wrapped in an oversized towel with no shirt or trousers. I followed his lead, removing all but my intimates, and he draped a soft, dry towel around me.

He moved away after covering me up and I made a sound of protest. “Come back here with your body heat!” I demanded.

“What body heat?” He responded sourly, but did as I requested and wrapped his arms around me, his hands rubbing my back soothingly. “If you wanted me out of my clothes, you could’ve just asked.” He grumbled, his head resting on mine.

A few minutes later, when warmth had returned to our extremities, he pulled away. I frowned at first, until he returned towel-less and with a stack of blankets in his arms, a combination that was quickly becoming my favorite.

He settled on the lounger part of the couch as he started to unfold the blankets. I dropped my towel and scampered over, nudging my way between his legs and snuggling against his chest. He sighed at me exasperatedly, but I saw the upward curl of his lips. He layered the blankets over us and we were content to stay wrapped in each other’s arms for most of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote 3.5 chapters before deciding I didn't like that direction >.> working on what I want to happen, how, and when! Sorry its slow, its tough haha


	40. The Return

_Draco_

 

I awoke with a strangled gasp.

Rocketing upright, my hand instantly gripped my other arm tightly, trying to somehow push the pain away. Dread raced through my veins and strangled the breath from my body.

The intense burning sensation remained.

I sat still, not willing to believe what it meant – for me, for Hermione, for the world.

 _Please,_ I begged,  _not again._

 

 

_Hermione_

 

I stirred from my sleep, not quite sure what brought me out of a lovely dream. I flipped to my other side and squinted when I noticed the silhouette of Draco sitting up in bed, hunched over.

“Draco?” I propped myself up on one elbow, tugging the comforter with me. “What’s wrong?”

His voice was barely above a whisper and he didn’t look at me, “Turn the light on.”

As we were bathed in a soft glow, he closed his eyes tightly and pressed his one hand to his forehead. His body shook with tension.

“What’s going on?” I pleaded, not understanding what was causing his demeanor but fearful nonetheless.

He uncurled his hand from his head and extended his arm to me.

A shiver ran through me as I stared down at the writhing, inky black mark on his arm. It was no longer a faded scar or a moderately-defined grey. It was restored back to its former glory. Panic was beginning to make me feel jumpy as I pushed myself fully upright.

“Draco…” I trailed off, not sure what to say.

“We’re being summoned.” He breathed, his gaze far away.

It took me a second to realize he didn’t mean the two of us.

He eventually shook himself out of his stupor. His grey eyes finally regarded me and he looked as frightened as I felt. He tried to project a reassuring look but it was far from convincing. “Find some clothes. We need to get to the Ministry.”

I nodded and jumped out of bed, grabbing a few items from my bag and padding over to the bathroom.

I walked out dressed and with my wand in hand. Draco had changed as well and he muttered a charm, fitting in to his Eklund disguise. He grabbed my hand and apparated us to the Ministry.

We strode to the Minister’s office. Melanie was gone and we pushed open the doors to find the room dark and empty. It was four in the morning, after all.

“Chris might be pulling a late shift?” I suggested.

Draco nodded and we hustled over, trying not to look as disheveled as we felt as we passed a few employees working the graveyard shift.

Turned out the false sense of calm was not necessary.

The auror department was in chaos when we arrived. The lights were blaring against the dim halls we’d traveled through. People ran in all directions, some carrying files, others with gear, but all wearing a look of desperation. A few groups of aurors stood around, one in particular was being directed by Chris.

“Hermione? Eklund? What are you doing here?”

“Harry,” I stepped the rest of the way into the tactical advancement room, “What’s going on?”

Draco placed his hand on the small of my back to gently get my attention, “I’m going to talk to Kingsley.” He murmured in in my ear and motioned to where the Minister stood talking with a few others.

I acknowledged him with a nod while Harry blinked at the interaction. He quickly refocused and explained, “There was a breakout from Azkaban about half an hour ago. It looks like almost every single death eater that was captured is now gone, along with a few other sickos they must’ve befriended while in there. We’re still waiting for an official headcount. The same sigil was drawn that was left at the break-ins months ago: a two-headed snake painted in the blood of one not-so-lucky prisoner. We called in most of the aurors. I was about to owl you and Ron.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Probably. I’d talk to Chris. He’s been sending out teams to possible target locations as a precaution, so we might be assigned to a group. Kingsley is busy dealing with the other Heads of departments.” We both glanced over to see Kingsley in an intensely deep conversation with Draco/Eklund near the very back of the room. “Or he was.” His brows furrowed, “What are you guys doing here anyways?”

“Uh,” I stalled, “I couldn’t sleep so I was stopping by to grab some files to work on. Eklund felt his mark start burning, and we ran in to each other.”

Harry nodded then turned to see the informant now sitting down. He plopped into a chair next to him with a heavy sigh. I remained standing, ready to grab Chris’s attention at the first opportunity.

“No offense, but I’d hoped my days of working with you were over.” Harry commented.

“Me too.” Draco agreed, his hand subconsciously going to his left forearm.

Harry’s eyes followed the movement, “Hermione mentioned your mark started burning.”

“Yes. It woke me up. What about your scar? Anything?”

“Thankfully, nothing.” He cursed under his breath. “Halloween sucks.”

“It’s the worst day ever.” Draco murmured despondently staring, unseeing, ahead.

I glanced over but he wouldn’t meet my eyes nor Harry’s curious gaze.

The two men sat silently the next few minutes, sprawled in their seats, and eventually I moved closer realizing it would be a while before Chris had time for me.

“Ah,” Kingsley greeted as he too drew nearer, “I wanted to talk with you.”

A knot tightened in my gut. Nothing good could come from those words, especially at a time like this.

I noticed Draco’s hand clench into a fist, his jaw clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

“There has been some news…” Kingsley started gravely.

“What’s happened?”

“There was a murder at Malfoy Manor.”


	41. The Return - Part 2

My free hand covered my mouth. The only person currently at Malfoy Manor was, “Narcissa Malfoy.”

“Yes, we believe so.”

“You  _believe_  so?”

“It was rather…brutal.” Kingsley's brown eyes lingered on the disguised Draco who remained frozen in his seat. “I was unable to secure the house, so I wasn’t able to confirm.”

 “How did you know something had happened? Was Malfoy home?” Harry inquired.

“One of the house elves contacted the Ministry and I flooed over.”

Harry narrowed his eyes, probably confused as to why the Minister of Magic went himself.

“Draco,” I breathed, intending to comfort him but his expression warned me away.  I quickly angled back to Kingsley. “Has anyone talked to Draco Malfoy?”

“I spoke with him only a few minutes ago. He insisted on helping with the investigation but I believe he is emotionally compromised.” He allowed his worry for the man color his response.

"Sounds about right for him. Emotional time bomb, that one." Harry muttered.

“Yes, because _you’re_ the poster boy for emotional maturity.” Draco snapped.

Harry recoiled from the fire behind the informant’s blue eyes and the venom laced in his voice.

I cleared my throat loudly, “I concur, Kingsley. He needs time to process. Eklund and I,” I grabbed Draco’s arm tightly and yanked him out of the chair, “will escort Malfoy elsewhere.”

“Wait!” Harry jumped up, “Where was Malfoy in all this? How do we know he didn’t do it?”

Kingsley and I both disagreed with him at the same time, and perhaps a little too quickly.

“Honestly Harry, are we back in sixth year?” I huffed, my grip on Draco’s arm softening.

“I am inclined to believe his innocence.” Kingsley assured.

Harry eyed us suspiciously and he waved his finger between the three of us. “What’s going on here?”

“What are you talking about, Harry?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

“You three are acting like you know something I don’t. More than you’re trying to let on. Don’t look at me like that, Hermione, I’m auror for God’s sake, I’m observant and notice the little things.” Draco snorted and the brunette wizard glared at him, “And what’s with you today? You’ve been acting like a sourpuss since you got here. Is all this whining because your mark is acting up?”

Draco’s mask of neutrality slipped back on but his eyes were frigid as he regarded the Chosen One. He gracefully maneuvered himself from my grasp. “I’ve got some things I need to check on. I’ll be back later.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” I held him back, knowing exactly where he was planning to go.

“ _What in God’s name is going on?_ ” Harry yelled, throwing his hands up, exasperated that his question was never answered the first time.

I dropped my arm to put my hands on my hips defensively as Draco turned to face me. We argued silently:

_There is no way you're going home._

_It’s not your decision to make._

_Then I’m coming with._

_No, you’re not. The manor isn’t safe._

_At least take Harry._

Hell _no!_

_I’ll tell him everything!_

“You wouldn’t dare.” His eyes narrowed.

“Try me.” I retorted.

“What’s the point? What’s it going to help?”

 _“He’ll_   _help us!_ Besides, this fight is his as much as it is yours.”

“No, it’s not.” His expression hardened and what little warmth was left in his eyes dissipated. “The Dark Lord is gone – he got his revenge.  _This_  fight has nothing to do with him.”

He pushed past me and stalked to the nearest apparition point.

I bit my lip nervously and looked to Kingsley. “Any ideas on how I can follow?”

“You know how you’ve been getting to work every day?” Kingsley started, “You are one of three people able to do so that are not directly related to the family. Be careful, Hermione – of what may be lurking in the shadows, and from him.”

I nodded solemnly before I walked to the closest fireplace. I threw the floo powder as I called, “Malfoy Manor”. My hand gripped my wand tightly as I was transported in a wave of green flames.

 

 

_Harry_

“Will you please tell me what’s going on?” I begged the Minister of Magic once it was just the two of us.

He smiled regretfully. “I wish I could, but it is not my place. I believe Hermione wishes to tell you, but it is not her choice.”

“You always have a choice,” I grumbled.

“In that case, it is hers to remain loyal.”

I scowled and walked away, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. Something was going on between the three of them, and it hurt that Hermione didn’t trust me enough to explain. It was like a sucker punch to the stomach.

I took a deep breath and went to owl Ron about the unraveling situation. Hopefully Chris would have something for us to do, something to busy my churning mind and the pressure on my chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave feedback on the story far - favorite chapters/moments, least favorite chapters/moments (first chapter is still my least favorite x.x), any inconsistencies you find (besides my inability to know when to use a period or a comma with regards to dialogue!) I usually find a lot with regards to timing since I've changed it and added/retracted from the story so many times, and her/he/they/them from when I originally wrote the story in third person >>
> 
> Anyways, I'm still working on how I want certain things to play out but enjoy this closing of the previous chapter(:


	42. Malfoy Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're looking for the new chapters they're Ch 27, 28, and 29! I have some chapters done after this last chapter but I'm still not really happy with them yet... Still working on them(:

_Draco_

 

I landed in the center of Malfoy Manor, and I wasn’t sure what felt more suffocating – the impeding darkness or the endless silence that greeted me.

I muttered a spell my father created and a three-dimensional representation of the manor appeared. I was the only person on the map, there was no one else here.

At least no one else alive.

I shed my disguise and apparated to my parents’ bedroom, the nearby lamps igniting. I hesitated outside the door not wanting to see what awaited me on the other side. But I had no choice.

I breathed in deeply and set my shoulders, then pushed open the door. I almost released a sigh of relief when the room was empty, thinking maybe she got away, but Kingsley had seen her so I knew I would find her. I should’ve asked him where in the house she was, I was only making this more painful by dragging it out, but admittedly, I wasn’t in great mindset.

I was about to leave, but something wasn’t right. I glanced around the room, searching for what set my nerves on edge. My eyes landed on my mother’s nightstand and I crept closer. The glittering serpent brooch that often sat on the wooden bedside table was gone. I looked to my father’s side and the pocket watch he kept was missing as well.

I cleared the dozen or so rooms along the hall within minutes; no sign of my mother and more notable objects missing. A sinking feeling settled over me as I realized the implication.

I swallowed roughly and apparated a floor below to continue my search.

 

 

_Hermione_

 

“Draco?” I called hesitantly once I’d stepped out of the fireplace in the foyer. My words echoed against the marble floors and there was no response, though it wasn’t a surprise, the manor was huge.

I clenched my wand, holding it out defensively and whispering “lumos” as I crept forward. I cautiously began inspecting rooms, always turning left down the next hall so I at least knew how to return to the fireplace.

Nothing seemed out of place, no signs of a struggle in any of the rooms, but the manor was a large structure and I could just be in the wrong section. I hoped Draco was having better luck, though ‘luck’ was probably the wrong word to use.

I took another left and found myself in a short hallway with only one door. It was a plain, wooden door, noticeably nondescript in an otherwise decadent house.

The door opened with a rough screech and I eased my way inside. Turned out it wasn’t a room but instead a small landing with a set of stairs descending into damp darkness. I used the light from the end of my wand to guide me down the steps. I faltered near the bottom, holding my wand high and peering into the abyss trying to make out any shapes, but it was too large a room. I took the final steps down and heard a wet squish as my foot landed.

 

 

_Draco_

 

I called up the map of the manor again to see someone making their way into the eastern dungeon.

I apparated and walked through the open door onto the landing. It was pitch black in the room except for Hermione’s outline as she moved down the steps, wand illuminated in front of her. With a flourish of my hand, the lamps on the wall began to ignite down the staircase. She yelped and whirled around at the sudden light, her wand aimed at me.

I started to give her a reassuring look but something at her feet demanded my attention.

She noticed my stare and inched around but I shook my head vehemently and she stopped as I bounded down the steps. I grabbed her wrist and apparated us back to our office before she could catch a glimpse of the horror that lay at her feet.

Once we landed, she glanced down at her shoes and my eyes followed; the edges were rimmed in dark red.

I stumbled out the room in a hurry, making my way across the hall to the bathroom only seconds before my body violently expunged the contents of my stomach. I flushed the toilet and rinsed my mouth out, and I stood there as long as I could, my mind’s eye frozen on my mother’s broken body, until finally my legs gave out.

I pulled my knees to my chest, struggling for breath. I was torn between fury and despair. I tried not to think of how she even got down there or how long she was tortured, but it gnawed at me incessantly.

I pressed my hands to my head trying to physically push it all out.

_Why did I come here? She’s gone, I don’t need to see how. I don’t need to know how. I don’t want to know._

_I don’t want to know._

_I don’t want to know._

The words repeated in my head as I rocked back and forth, my eyes shut tightly from the pain strangling my heart. The words kept repeating even when the small, rational part of me remembered that I did need to know and I did need to come here. I knew something that none of the aurors or crime scene analysts could ever know. I had a suspect, an impossible one but a suspect nonetheless.

Hermione appeared in the doorway some time later. Her shoe was clean, the sole white once more. She lowered herself next to me, hesitantly reaching her hand out and putting it on my shoulder. I leaned into her embrace and my tears streamed freely.

I wasn’t sure how long it was before they subsided, but I eventually took a shaky breath and pushed myself up. She brought her hand to my cheek, her thumb rubbing back and forth soothingly, and I closed my eyes briefly at her touch.

“What’s next?” She whispered.

“Vengeance.” I croaked.

“That doesn’t sound healthy...”

“For the bastard who did this, it assuredly won’t be.”

 

 

_Hermione_

 

We returned to the Ministry what felt like hours later, but in reality less than an hour had passed. Draco was back in his shaggy, blond disguise, his face stoic to hide the storm inside, but I saw the way his hands shook so hard he had to keep them clenched and the way his breathing was labored, like every breath was painful. I ached to comfort him but now was not the time.

The building was emptier than before as most of the aurors had been assigned out. Kingsley and Chris remained though, in a deep conversation near the tactical advancement room. The Head Auror wandered away with a nod as we approached, leaving us alone with the Minister of Magic.

“How was it?” He asked cautiously.

“Rough,” Draco’s voice cracked. “The wards are down.”

“I talked to Chris and scrounged up a team. We’ll send them in right away and see what information can be found regarding her death. Do you have any judgement to add?”

Draco blinked and shook his head after a breath. “No.”

Kingsley placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder, “Look, I know it hasn’t been long and you’re still processing, but I don’t think you should reside at the manor.”

“I agree. I’ll stay at our – _at_ _my,”_ he corrected, “château in France. Owl me when your people are done at the manor, please.”

“Of course.”

He offered us a broken smile before he drifted away.

I watched his form retreat; he walked slowly with his head bowed, a sharp contrast to his usual tall and steady stride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you guys feel about the switching POV? Like it? Don't mind it? Hate it?


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